The Navy has released charges for a seventh sailor in the ring that allegedly swapped nude videos of their female shipmates nude, putting him at the center of the investigation, for filming and spreading the illicit recordings aboard the ballistic missile submarine Wyoming. But his lawyer claimed the petty officer's actions haves been unfairly characterized. seemingly at the center of the investigation into videos of female officers and midshipmen in a shower changing area aboard the submarine Wyoming has been unfairly characterized, according to his attorney.
He faces a litany of charges — 11 in all — for his alleged role in recording and distributing videos of women female officers on the Kings Bay, Georgia-based boat, a revelation that rocked the newly integrated submarine service late last year.
The missile technician second class is one of three sailors charged with recording so far. His charge sheet describes him as referring to the videos as collectible "Pokemon" cards and trading them with another sailor for a couple of energy drinks.
He was scheduled for an Article 32 hearing on Friday but has waived his rights, attorney Jim Stein confirmed to Navy Times on Thursday.
His attorney said the picture painted of him as the kingpin is unfair.
"He did not play the role that they've got him characterized in," Stein said.
In a January interview, Stein blamed pointed to the boat's lax personal electronic device policy as a catalyst for the crime.
"My information is that the use of the devices was widespread among most of the crew, officers included," he said.
The women filmed were among some of the first to serve on subs after the Navy opened up its ballistic missile fleet in 2011.
The sailor, whose name is redacted from his charge sheet, faces:
- Two counts of conspiracy. In one case, he sent the videos to another MT2 in exchange for two energy drinks.
- One count of disrespecting a superior commissioned officer, when he told the officer that collecting the videos was like playing "Pokemon" — "Gotta catch 'em all."
- One count of disobeying an order by using his cellphone camera on board Wyoming.
- Four counts of viewing women's private areas and four counts of recording a private area.
- Three counts of distributing videos.
The videos were recorded between August 2013 to June 2014, according to charge sheets obtained by Navy Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Potentially dozens of women were filmed, a Navy official familiar with the investigation confirmed. In addition to the female officers, a number of midshipmen spent time aboard Wyoming in that 10-month period.
Though the Navy has declined to release the names of sailors who haven't been referred to court-martial, the TTF sailor's charges describe him as a main agent in sharing the videos. He is the only sailor charged so far with taking videos of his female officers, four in all.
The sailor's alleged "Pokemon" comments were invoked by a prosecutor in a March 12 Article 32 hearing against two other sailors charged in the case.
Lt. Cmdr. Lee Marsh told the court that the sailor made the videos on his smartphone and then "bumped" them to other sailors, saying only that had a "gift for them."
A Navy attorney defending one of those sailors argued that the prosecution inaccurately described the videos as graphic because of their poor quality and partial nudity.
"At no point can you ever see a full length view of the person. ... You might see a face ... then a leg ... or a butt ... but there is no full length view," Lt. Paul Hochmuth said.
Two more sailors are charged with recording female midshipmen aboard for short cruises, but according to a Navy official familiar with the investigation, those recordings were not obtained as evidence during the investigation.
Seven sailors so far have been charged in connection with the videos, with four more suspects yet to be charged, taken to non-judicial punishment or let go.
Charges have included using smartphone cameras underway, conspiracy, and recording, distributing and viewing the videos without reporting them.
According to a retired submarine supply officer who spoke to Navy Times in December, the videos were first reported when an officer on another boat received them.
One sailor of the original 12 suspects will not face charges, Submarine Force Atlantic spokesman Cmdr. Tommy Crosby said.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
