Soldier held on $110,000 bond in explosives theft

My thanks to FReeper TexKat for bringing this article to my
attention to post!

The first article of this story was of Godsey's arrest appeared on
Saturday June 22nd. I'll post that as a comment below.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/3520601.htm


	Posted on Sat, Jun. 22, 2002

	Soldier arrested At least three others implicated in theft from Robinson Paving Co. BY HARRY FRANKLIN State Editor Ricky Todd Godsey, a U.S. Army Specialist stationed at Fort Benning, was arrested at 1 a.m. Friday on charges stemming from the theft of 300 sticks of high-grade explosives from Robinson Paving Co. in Columbus earlier this year. Authorities say the investigation indicates at least three people were involved in the crime. Columbus Police Sgt. John Crump arrested Godsey, 23, on charges of felony theft by taking and possession of destructive devices. Godsey, a native of Watauga, Tenn., was bound over to Muscogee County Superior Court on $110,000 bond, during an 8 a.m. Friday hearing in Columbus Recorder's Court. The case is expected to go to a grand jury in three to four months. He is accused of possessing 151 sticks "which were configured as a bomb or similar to said device or parts of such device," the Columbus police arrest report states. Godsey, stationed at Fort Benning since October 2001, was assigned to a maintenance crew that works on large engines, said Rich McDowell, Fort Benning's chief public affairs officer. Meanwhile, Robinson Paving recently has received three administrative citations from the State Fire Marshal's office and the company has a plan of action to correct the problems, said Gina Gassert, spokeswoman for Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John Oxendine's office. The nature of the citations is not yet public, and a decision on whether to fine or otherwise penalize the company has not been made. Godsey is accused of taking 300 sticks of Emutrench ammonium nitrate explosives worth $1,100 from a secured storage magazine across the road from Robinson's offices at 5425 Schatulga Road. The explosives, used to blast rock for road construction projects, were discovered missing on May 23, but authorities say they could have been taken weeks to months earlier. About half the explosives were left outside the above-ground steel bunker in the wooded area around it. The 151 sticks that were stolen were discovered in a rural area of the Fort Benning Reservation near Macon Road, where they had been buried. An anonymous letter stating exactly where to find the explosives and expressing sorrow for the incident was found by a man fromnorth Columbus on his car. The note was written on a piece of mail that apparently was taken from someone else, and still had the mail recipient's name on it, said Columbus Police Lt. Bill Rawn. Some of the sticks found on the reservation were left at another nearby location, but authorities have not released information about them. The explosives were found outside the barricaded area of the post. Authorities detonated the sticks that were left near the bunker at Fort Benning one evening, and blew up the rest that was recovered from the post the next evening, May 30. Godsey was questioned by Fort Benning Criminal Investigations Division officers for eight hours Wednesday and again starting at 2 p.m. Thursday, Rawn said. He was contacted by CID at 4 p.m. Thursday and he sent Sgt. John Crump to sit in on the questioning at 4:30 p.m. Questioning continued until his arrest. Rawn said authorities still have no motive for the theft. Godsey reportedly failed several polygraph tests administered by CID, and he was implicated by a friend, Melanie Martin, after she apparently saw items at Godsey's house. Martin, of a Buena Vista Road address in Columbus, is in the Muscogee County Jail on unrelated arson charges stemming from fires allegedly set on a bridal shop, gas station and truck on April 22. Rawn said Godsey implicated another man in the explosives case who is in jail in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on unrelated charges. Spc. Billy J. Pitzen, 20, of Buena Vista Road and originally from Staceyville, Iowa, is a 3rd Brigade artilleryman at Fort Benning. Amber Pitzen, his ex-wife, said he has twice been absent without leave from the Army. He is being held on an unrelated aggravated assault charge in Florida for allegedly throwing a rock through a man's window, and for desertion at Fort Benning. Rawn said police will seek his return to Columbus. Godsey told authorities that Pitzen borrowed his pickup truck, picked up the explosives, returned to Godsey's house at Fort Benning and the two men went and unloaded them, authorities said. Frank Martin, a Columbus attorney who represents Robinson Paving, acknowledged Friday that the company has responded in writing to the state's three administrative citations. "Until we hear from them, I think we've done all we can do to this point," Martin said.

© 2001 ledgerenquirer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.ledgerenquirer.com

Oops! I meant to delete the supplemental stories below the main one.
My apologies for the boo-boo!

This is only a few miles from my home so I have been following it. I suspect we will find out that several young soldiers got drunk one night and pulled a stupid stunt that is going to cost them dearly.

Stupid! They will have new accomendation for a long time.

I used to live just off of Macon Road when I was stationed there. The post boundary comes up to the highway just a few miles down the road. It will be interesting to find out the whole story here.

Well, RATS! I guess this means the fourth of July FReeper fireworks fest is off....

Hey, y'all WATCH THIS....

-archy-/-

Sounds like this construction company pushed the binary rule's a bit too far just stacking the stuff like cord wood and walking away.......

What are they gonna do ? Bust this troopie for stealing fertilizer and nitromethane ?? If it ain't UXO by DOT rules then it ain't UXO IMHO till it's mixed . Other wise we have to close down every grocerie , hardwear store and hobby shop in America.

Yeas I know what they were gonna do and they are theives and should have their @sses kicked royal for dinking with this crap in the first place.

Just the devils advocate side of the story I guess :o)

Stay Safe Archy !!

That young man was getting ready for some serious fishing.

Thanks Meek for the post.

This guy is in the company that my son is in. My son said that the FBI was swarmming the place last week.

LOL!

You're welcomed.
Wow! I bet that had the guys hopping and wondering what was going on, huh?

They were just planning a fishing trip.