Photos of Staff Sergeant killed an Afghanistan again used in Catfish scheme

BOURNE, Mass. — The family of a Special Forces Army Staff Sergeant, who died while fighting for our country isn't happy with Facebook.

It’s been seven years since Matthew Pucino was killed during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, but in that time fake profiles using his picture have been created multiple times.

His family created a memorial page in his honor, using this picture, only to find out a complete stranger was using the image as his profile picture.

"I am livid. I can't even begin to tell you. My patience is gone,” Matthew’s sister Lisa Pucino Haglof said. "And the fact they won't take it down is just making it worse."

The first time this happened was in 2013, when a Texas man used a picture of Matthew, a Green Beret killed by an IED, on his profile.

At that time Facebook immediately took action and removed the profile once FOX25 began asking questions.

Lisa said that didn’t stop the problem though. It’s happened at least a half dozen times since.

"This is the second time this month,” she said. "It was brought to our attention by the Green Beret Foundation. Not sure how she found it but she contacted us."

The name on the profile is Cooper Ricks, but the photo was taken without permission from the Matthew Pucino Foundation website.

This time, the response from Facebook has been slow. Lisa and friends are told that the profile does not violate Facebook’s community standards.

FOX25 reached out to Facebook and Tuesday night received a response saying ".the fake account has been disabled. It should have been done before.”

With the profile gone, Lisa and others can focus on the annual motorcycle ride in Matthew’s memory that takes place this Saturday in Bourne.

"Why does it take the media to get Facebook to do something,” Lisa said.

Cox Media Group