- An AK-47 seized from Saddam Hussein’s Royal Guard, belonging to Twentynine Palms Marine Joel Cleve Miller. Posted on 07/03/2012 9:21:12 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Hemet: Marine convicted of smuggling rifle from Saddam palace
- An AK-47 seized from Saddam Hussein’s Royal Guard, belonging to Twentynine Palms Marine Joel Cleve Miller.
Federal prosecutors said former Staff Sgt. Joel Cleve Miller, 40, was found guilty of possession of an illegal chrome AK-47 that he smuggled back from Iraq during a 14-month tour in 2005.
When he returned to his home in Hemet, he bragged to several friends that he smuggled the gun back after it once belonged to Saddam Hussein’s Royal Guard.
The U.S. Marine Corps discharged Miller in December 2011 after 20 years in the military for approving false travel claims and stealing from the U.S. Government.
Miller was indicted by a Riverside Grand Jury in 2010 of three charges of illegal possession of a machine gun. A federal jury in Riverside last week acquitted him of possession of another gun.
He could face up to 10 years in federal prison. He is set be sentenced Sept. 27 by Riverside federal Judge Virginia A. Philips.
The case was part of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service search for illegal automatic weapons in the United States.
“This case sends a strong message that we will continue to investigate those who illegally possess and distribute dangerous weapons such as machine guns,” NCIS Acting Supervisory Special Agent Albert Nelson stated. “We will continue our efforts to remove these weapons form (sic) the streets where they put innocent lives at risk.”
“This case sends a strong message that we will continue to investigate those who illegally possess and distribute dangerous weapons such as machine guns,” NCIS Acting Supervisory Special Agent Albert Nelson stated. “We will continue our efforts to remove these weapons form (sic) the streets where they put innocent lives at risk.”
Guess they have no jurisdiction over Mr Holder.
This comment is actually about BEE ESS, because after the word distribute, things turn to BEE ESS.
There is a certain gent in Oklahoma I knew in 2003/4 who had brought back a Kalashnikov from Viet Nam hidden in equipment. One of those really good chaps - he invited me to his farm for a whole afternoon and we had a good time, even though we’d never met before then (it was a church thing). I am sure there is a lot of ‘stuff’ that came back after Viet Nam inside speakers and other equipment. The gun was full auto, but this is in Oklahoma (where people tend to use logic in deciding whether to report someone to the authorities), and thus he has had it for decades now. It is also in a farm, surrounded by friends, and people tend to mind their own business unless one becomes a bother. I am still surprised at how welcoming the guy was. To this day. Its not every day one gets treated as family by a total stranger. Generally, my time in Oklahoma was marked by almost constant surprise at the level of honesty, grace and warmness by the people. Absolutely amazing. Comparing that with, for example, Minnesota, showed a stark difference (maybe it is the cold weather in Minnesota that makes people grumpy lol). Oklahoma will always be a second home (and that is the end of that attempted thread hijack). On the guns ...a lot of stuff came via speakers and stuff.
I brought six grenades home from Nam in the 70’s. Three were made inert and three got.....secured.
He only thought they were all friends.
I brought two bolt action rifles back from RVN. Found a little golf bag to carry them in & walked down the concourse in SF Airport with the bag over my shoulder & the muzzles sticking out with bayonets fixed. Try THAT nowadays.
Got deployed to Uzbekistan in 2003. Watched teary eyed as a brand new Krinkov AK was sawed in half. Brought some AK parts back.
What do guys in theater get crucified for now? They sell a legal AK pistol here, chrome or gold plate it & you got instant heirloom souvenir. Crazy.
CC
“He should have sold it on “Pawn Stars”.”
Rick wouldn’t have taken it. They aren’t licensed to deal in modern firearms.
I agree that this Marine screwed up big time. There is no deployment where it isn’t absolutely clear that no contraband of any kind, and great emphasis is placed on any kind of weapons, is permitted to be taken from country.
There is no doubt left in anyone’s mind. This Marine deserves to be punished for disobeying this order just as much as with any other order.
That said, let’s talk about the punishment. America’s fairness under the law is seriously lacking. There are people getting one year for murder...I posted such a link a few weeks back...and here’s a screw up that could get 10 years.
There is no way that that processes. The first is a mistake and the 2nd was a cold-blooded hiring someone to kill his wife. Is that finding an extreme case? Sure it is, but I could find lesser things: rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, etc. Aren’t all those worse than admiring a weapon and breaking rules to bring it home?
I think so. My gut says dismissal from service in disgrace is sufficient punishment. Add six months hard time or something like that, if necessary, because I think flagrant disobedience to an absolutely clear, reasonable order must be punished.
There’s no way, though, that it rises to the level of those other crimes mentioned.
Fixed it.
No kidding. I know of an M-1 Carbine that “happened” to be in the duffel bag of a returning Vietnam War Vet nearly 50 years ago.
Fishing?
Agreed, xzins. It should have been left up to the military for his punishment.....instead. NCIS just couldn’t stop and carried this over to a federal court. 10 years? Good grief.
Time honored tradition with warriors from the beginning of time.
Prepared. ‘Nuff said. But they are very effective fishing apparatus, especially in VN.
I usually had 3 GI`s with rifle barrels sticking out the car windows each with an Army nurse on his lap in the back seat all yelling happy as hell to be home. God, was I happy to have them back.
It was no big deal because back then Americans were allowed* to own weapons.
* -- Who was it that thought that it's be ok to have the government tax / constrict the ability to own/allow weapons?
I heard from the USMC grapevine of a guy getting a complete M-60 back. Shipped in what, no idea, but that sucker is not light. Again, what do you do with it? Assuming you can find linked ammo, would be easy to blow a month's pay doing an afternoon plinking session.
As others have said, lots of stuff came back openly, but as I recall, all were semi auto SKS and bolt action stuff, no full auto AKs.
I have to agree that NCIS going after this Marine in a federal court is a bit much, his discharge and some kind of punishment should have been plenty.
Had he brought it home and committed a crime with the weapon it would be different but it seems it was a war souvenir. As was mentioned up thread it was a common practice in earlier wars and not always legal. A friend of my Dad, a Marine, brought an M2 Carbine (full auto) back from WWII from the So Pacific and an uncle shipped 8mm Mausers to his four brothers from Germany at the end of the war.
It will not be justice in my view if this Marine is sentenced to a federal prison for this.
While I understand the sentiment about WWII souvenirs, times changed.
More importantly, it is an extremely clear order. There is no member of the military who is not aware of it. It is repeated always and everywhere, driven home to the point of being a pain to listen to it again.
There is absolutely no way the most junior private would be unaware of it. For any kind of long-term, senior NCO, Warrant, or Officer to violate it is the very definition of direct, knowing, disobedience of a standing order.
I have no sympathy in that regard.
OTOH, 10 years is ridiculous.
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