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31 Individuals, Including Three Former Coast Guard Employees, Charged In Test Score-Fixing Scheme at Coast Guard Exam Center
justice.gov ^ | November 23, 2020 | U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Louisiana

Posted on 11/29/2020 3:18:36 PM PST by ransomnote

NEW ORLEANS – The United States Attorney’s Office announced, on November 20, 2020, the indictment of 31 individuals related to a test score-fixing scheme at a United States Coast Guard exam center.

As alleged in the indictment, DOROTHY SMITH was employed by the Coast Guard as a credentialing specialist at an exam center in Mandeville, Louisiana. SMITH’s position authorized her to enter scores for examinations that merchant mariners were legally required to pass in order to obtain licenses to serve in various positions on vessels. The examinations tested mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of licenses.

According to the indictment, for over seven years, SMITH engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States. SMITH took bribes to fix exam scores, enabling license applicants to bypass the required testing. This resulted in the applicants illegally obtaining a range of licenses for officer-level positions, including the most important positions on vessels, such as master, chief mate, and chief engineer.

As alleged in the indictment, SMITH used a network of intermediaries to connect her to maritime workers who were willing to pay for false exam scores. The intermediaries would funnel money and the mariners’ requests to SMITH, who would falsely report in a Coast Guard computer system that the mariners had passed the exams.

According to the indictment, two former Coast Guard employees, ELDRIDGE JOHNSON and BEVERLY MCCRARY, acted as intermediaries for SMITH, with MCCRARY participating in the scheme both during and after her Coast Guard employment and JOHNSON participating following his Coast Guard employment.  Additionally, four maritime industry workers—ALEXIS BELL, MICHEAL WOOTEN a/k/a Michael Wooten, SHARRON ROBINSON, and ALONZO WILLIAMS—acted as intermediaries in the scheme and also had their own scores fixed by SMITH.

In addition to the defendants referenced above, the indictment charges twenty-four current and former merchant mariners with unlawfully receiving officer-level licenses. As alleged in the indictment, each of these individuals received false scores from SMITH, with some receiving false scores on multiple occasions.

SMITH, JOHNSON, MCCRARY, BELL, WOOTEN, ROBINSON, and WILLIAMS are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The following defendants are charged with receiving, possessing, and intending to unlawfully use mariner licenses, to which they were not lawfully entitled: JONATHAN ABBEY, RAFAEL ATKINS, ANTHONY BROWN, JAMES CARR, CHARLES FRANKS, JERRY FUDGE, DAVID GALVAN, JUSTIN GANDY, ANTHONY GARCES, CARDELL HUGHES, HARRY JOHNSON, EDWARD JONES, ALEXIA LOVETT, BRANDON MACK, HUGO MARQUEZ, MILES MARTS, DEVERICK MORROW, FREDRICK NETTLES, STINSON PAYNE, OCTAVIAN RICHARDS, QUANG TRAN, ANTWAINE TRAVIS, SHUNMANIQUE WILLIS, and ROBERT WINTERS.

If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment, $ 250,000.00 fine, (3) three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment.

The United States Attorney’s Office reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the defendants’ guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.

Attachment(s): 
Topic(s): 
Labor & Employment
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TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: weakqproof
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1 posted on 11/29/2020 3:18:36 PM PST by ransomnote
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To: ransomnote

What test? How I got ‘only’ 99 out of 100 questions right I’ll never know. Armed forces admission test.


2 posted on 11/29/2020 3:22:52 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: ransomnote

Aren’t you also required to pass a tough physical in order to qualify for the Coast Guard? I think being able to swim several miles is a pre-requisite.

Now try cheating on that!


3 posted on 11/29/2020 3:23:11 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: ransomnote

“As it was in the days of Noah...”
It is so sad to see our society crumbling, for lack of ethics, truth, justice, and morality. Of course, Bible believers know this kind of world was foretold, but here, at least in America, and much of the Western world, for a while, we had Godliness, and a code of ethics, truth, justice, and morality, in the most of us. Thank You, LORD, for the remnant; have mercy on us all.


4 posted on 11/29/2020 3:31:03 PM PST by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: Flaming Conservative

AMEN!


5 posted on 11/29/2020 3:31:45 PM PST by ransomnote (IN GOD WE TRUST)
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To: ransomnote

The Federal Government thinks cheating by people who are not associated with elections is wrong?


6 posted on 11/29/2020 3:36:18 PM PST by alternatives? (If our borders are not secure, why fund an army?)
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To: SeekAndFind

Mercant Marine exam not CG Boot Camp


7 posted on 11/29/2020 3:41:05 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: SeekAndFind
Aren’t you also required to pass a tough physical in order to qualify for the Coast Guard? I think being able to swim several miles is a pre-requisite.


No, that is the Navy. In the Coast Guard they train sailors how to keep boats afloat. The Navy teaches how to break things.
8 posted on 11/29/2020 4:01:22 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (No more Fox News.)
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To: SeekAndFind

The Coast Guard employees enabled the cheating and took the money. The cheaters were Merchant Marine people. So they did not have to pass a physical exam.


9 posted on 11/29/2020 4:02:05 PM PST by Drawsing (Fools show their annoyance at once, the prudent man overlooks an insult. Proverbs 12:16)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

Obviously did not go to CG Boot


10 posted on 11/29/2020 4:07:22 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: CGASMIA68

No, but I spent 14.5 years in CG Reserve as a communicator.


11 posted on 11/29/2020 4:50:45 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (No more Fox News.)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

If I recall reservists went to boot camp how did you skip that process and what is a communicator


12 posted on 11/29/2020 5:04:42 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: Tax-chick; Anoreth

FYI PING.


13 posted on 11/29/2020 5:13:20 PM PST by mabarker1 ((Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress !!!!)
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To: CGASMIA68

I used the term “communicator” in the generic sense.

As a 20 year old, I was about to be drafted with a Vietnam destination, so I joined the Air National Guard. I served 6 years as a Comm Center Specialist. Was out of the military for almost 5 years, then I investigated joining the CG reserve. All military at that time, and at all times uses the same communications system. The only skill unique to the Coast Guard radioman rating at the time was Morse code. Since I had 20 wpm skills via amateur radio, they were able to enlist me into that rate.

My function on weekends was search and rescue watch stander, and as a reservist I would come in and take the watch for the regular CG person. I was very fortunate that rather than sit around or train constantly, I had a weekend job, 12 hours on Saturday, and 8 hours on Sunday. I even slept Saturday night at the base so that I could get more rest.

My job was to stay alert monitoring the hf and vhf emergency channels, send and receive message traffic between units, and to communicate with vessels in distress, helicopters, small boats, and help coordinate rescues in that manner.

Was an interesting job, but stressful, so when I got my time in, I ended my career. I am grateful for the experience, and that I got to meet some wonderful people!

I never went to CG boot camp, never had a swim test and served for 14.5 years as a reservist. Got my basic military training from the Air Force.


14 posted on 11/29/2020 7:52:03 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (No more Fox News.)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

I knew a few RM’s,Rm 3 RM2 (no longer a rate) none ever referred to themselves as “communicators” 1st I ever ever heard of the rate referred to as you have.
So as a communicator after 14.5 what rank did you leave as ?
I sat behind a few right seat and left seaters in the radio seat back in the 70’s nothing in CGD# 7 got relayed.

I suppose your initial post, to me, was a dig at the CG which peaked my interest.
Rescue swimmers are cream of the crop, no one can compare.


15 posted on 11/30/2020 1:37:39 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: CGASMIA68

I entered the Coast Guard Reserve as an RM2, Radioman 2nd Class (E5), and
retired 14.5 years later as a TCC Telecommunications Chief (E7). Today, I believe the rating has changed again and I think they may have consolidated the communications responsibilities with the ODO responsibilities (plotting currents, resource allocation, District real time communications, etc.).

During my CG search and rescue career, we always were reminded that the Navy resources were always available, even though we didn’t have any info on where they were. We would joke about the Navy having too rough a demeanor for rescue operations, being constantly trained in how to “break things”, and not trained in search and rescue. So it was a friendly dig at the Navy, not the CG.


16 posted on 11/30/2020 3:32:00 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (Widespread fraud results in the DQing of the offending fraudsters. Biden should be DQed.)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

Congratulations, Chief.......You have done well,I am envious


17 posted on 11/30/2020 3:38:40 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: CGASMIA68

Thank you. I am very grateful for the good fortune of being able to find a slot, and living 40 miles from the base. Also, very grateful for have met some of the most wonderful people imaginable! Not every one of them, but the overwhelming majority were wonderful Americans!


18 posted on 11/30/2020 3:44:40 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (Widespread fraud results in the DQing of the offending fraudsters. Biden should be DQed.)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

Dittos........My best and truest friends go back to CG days,.Still keep in touch with the guy who had the “rack” below me in boot camp and a few old timers from CGASMIA


19 posted on 11/30/2020 6:36:46 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: The_Media_never_lie

You don’t have to swim “several miles” to join the Navy. Their basic swim test is similar to the Boy Scouts’, like 200 yards.

My daughter, who was in the Coast Guard nine years, had to go to remedial swimming during basic. She managed, and later trained as a rescue swimmer, although - at 5’1” and 100 lbs. - she wasn’t going to rescue anyone but a child or a dog.


20 posted on 11/30/2020 7:00:49 PM PST by Tax-chick (Know Jesus, know peace.)
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