A junior sailor assigned to the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush is accused of promising to pay an undercover law enforcement official $10,000 to murder someone, according to a Navy charge sheet.
A hearing was held this week in Norfolk, Virginia, to determine whether evidence is sufficient to court-martial Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) Airman Uriel Gerardo-Olivas on attempted murder and other charges.
Navy officials declined to confirm the target of Gerardo-Olivas’ alleged murder-for-hire plot, but the Virginian Pilot reported that attorneys said he was attempting to take out his wife.
The proceeding this week, known as an Article 32 hearing, involves a hearing officer weighing the evidence and making a recommendation to commanding officers about whether the case is strong enough to go to trial.
Gerardo-Olivas allegedly slipped the undercover agent a down payment of $500 in July for the hit and promised an extra $10,000 when the job was finished, according to charge sheets.
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Gerardo-Olivas also could be prosecuted for threatening to murder a fellow sailor and trying to pay one sailor to kidnap another, the charge sheet shows.
There’s another allegation that he pointed a loaded firearm at his neighbor in May near Hampton, Virginia, the court documents reveal.
It is unclear whether the target of Gerardo-Olivas’ alleged murder threat and kidnapping plan are the same person.
He has been in pre-trial confinement since July, according to his charge sheet, and could not be reached for comment.
Gerardo-Olivas also faces charges for using marijuana and stealing more than $500 in Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH, according to charge sheets.
It remains unclear when the Article 32 officer will make a recommendation as to whether Gerardo-Olivas’ case should go to court-martial.
Gerardo-Olivas enlisted in 2013 and Navy personnel files list his home of record as Oregon.
His job entails maintaining fuel systems for aircraft based aboard the carrier.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
