Posted on 10/08/2010 11:50:17 AM PDT by Cindy
NOTE The following text is a quote:
FORMER MEMBER OF U.S. NAVY SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR STEALING AND SELLING EQUIPMENT
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILFRED J. BOUTON, 31, of Bremerton, Washington, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing and selling sensitive military equipment. Judge Thompson also ordered BOUTON to pay restitution in the amount of $62,311.42.
According to court documents and statements made in court, BOUTON was a gunner’s mate, first class, in the United States Navy assigned to an explosive ordinance disposal unit at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, Washington. From 2007 to 2009, BOUTON stole gun sights and other gun-related accessories from his unit’s armory, including Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights (ACOGs), rifle scopes, spotting scopes and range finders, which are primarily designed for military snipers and other precision shooters. BOUTON then sold the equipment over the internet using PayPal to co-defendant Danai Vira, also known as Arkradani Viranuvatti, 31, of Sanford, Florida. Vira re-sold the equipment to others, including Carl Williams, 40, of Savannah, Georgia, also a co-defendant. Williams sold the items to buyers in the United States and overseas.
“Illegal weapons trafficking is a serious offense that endangers the lives of our military servicemen and servicewomen overseas,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “This office and our federal law enforcement partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting these crimes to ensure that sensitive military technology does not wind up in the wrong hands.”
An examination of PayPal records reveals at least 64 separate transactions between Bouton and Vira from September 2007 to June 2009. In total, Bouton was paid approximately $90,231 by Vira for the stolen equipment.
Williams has admitted that, in November 2008, he shipped five of the stolen ACOGs to an individual in Germany.
“This investigation typifies the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s dedication to proactively identify individuals and groups involved in the theft, sale and illegal export of sensitive U.S. military technology,” stated Ed Bradley, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “During a time of war, it is unconscionable that fellow Americans would steal from the nation’s warfighters to line their own pockets.”
“Enforcing U.S. export laws is a critical component of ICE’s national security mission and is a top priority of the agency,” stated Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. “This case will send a message to those individuals who attempt to profit by illegally exporting improper defense equipment. ICE will continue to aggressively pursue those who violate our laws.”
On July 22, 2009, BOUTON was arrested by agents with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. BOUTON was discharged from the Navy on August 11.
On October 19, 2009, BOUTON pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in stolen government property. Vira and Williams also have pleaded guilty to the same charge and were each sentenced previously to one day of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. In addition, Vira was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,000.
This matter was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the United States Department of Defense, Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Export Enforcement of the United States Department of Commerce. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Chang with the assistance of law student intern Nicholas Torrey.
Hat Tip to this incident via a news news article:
Special Freepmailer
Just seems that the world is going to %$&& in a hand basket these days. When our own go bad, who do we turn to... We can not respect/trust the Police, Prosecutors, Judges, Feds, and now, even the military - the end is becoming clear...
Opinion:
Unfortunately, every segment of society has its rotten apples.
That does not make the whole batch of apples rotten.
To call the whole batch rotten would be inaccurate.
This press release is posted here for historical/archival purposes.
I know... it’s just that the news today seems to be more negative and against all parts of society. Of course, there will always be the few but when it is the military, it seems to hit home. One of the few organizations that still have most peoples praise.
I'd venture to say that 98%-99% of those you castigate are good, honest law-a-biding citizens. It goes without saying that there will always be a bad apple in a barrel.
Sorry to say that you have not been watching the news lately. Seems that most Prosecutors are watching out for their record (for political prospects), the Police are watching out for their buddies, and Judges...geez, they all seem to be out for Liberal propaganda or something similar. Law and especially the Constitution be damned! Not sure where you have been lately, under a rock?
That’s okay though, there are many like you (I use to be one) that have decided to hide under the clouds... Things are getting worse by the day and all we can say is that it is not as bad as it use to be...
They should be doing life in levenworth for treason during wartime
You do realize that this kind of thing would have be unexplainable then... It just simply did not happen! The thins that are happening today are just that - unexplainable!
Can we target today’s society? Is it the permissiveness of this generation? What the hell has happened to honor and honesty? You tell me!
You should also look at our DOJ for future problems.. Just another rock in our justice system.
“Sorry to say that you have not been watching the news lately. Seems that most Prosecutors are watching out for their record (for political prospects), the Police are watching out for their buddies, and Judges...geez, they all seem to be out for Liberal propaganda or something similar. Law and especially the Constitution be damned! Not sure where you have been lately, under a rock?”
Hey pal....you obviously get your news from the liberal mainstream media.Most have learned long ago that MSM doesn’t always tell the true story. Your comments are assinine. Don’t assume that because we have an incompetent Marxist administration in power that the whole country is screwed up. Go visit the federal courthouses and local courts in your area and then make a judgement about “all” the judges, prosecutors and cops not doing their jobs.
No but Judicial News does... You really need to read more. Heck, even the FBI has been involved in multiple false allocations against innocent people just for advancement.
While I would not agree with your numbers - I do think that at least 85% of them are good. The problem is that when you get the groups together - they hang together. That means that they will and do cover for each other, as long as the infraction is not major. That makes them a club of sorts.
That is a cuase of consistent minor and sometimes major infractions of the law - by them. If major infractions occur and they are surrounded by close friends, guess what they do?
It is more of a club problem as it is of an individual honesty problem. Individually, they are mostly honest. It is a major problem when they have to cover up for a friend in the club...
This happens much more often than you would like to admit I’s guess...
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