SPOKANE -- A Spokane federal judge sentenced a man from Harrington, Washington Thursday to six months of house arrest for forging military documents and lying about his service in the Army.

Michael Heit was sentenced for lying about his service in the Army.

Prosecutors say 58-year-old Michael Heit claimed he was awarded both a Purple Heart and Silver Star in Vietnam so he could receive extra veteran's benefits. The amount of extra benefits amounted to just over $2,000.

According to court documents, Heit told friends and family members he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam who was shot down and spent three years in a POW camp. Investigators say none of it was true.

KREM 2 News first covered this case in September, when Heit was indicted. A few weeks later, Heit agreed to plead guilty to the charges. Neither Heit or his attorney would comment today.