The first of two submariners accused of filming female midshipmen on the submarine Wyoming last year pleaded guilty Tuesday at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
Missile Technician 3rd Class Cody Shoemaker, 22, admitted to pleaded guilty at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, to twice using his cellphone camera to film the mids from a crawlspace under a sink that looked into the shower area aboard the Georgia-based ballistic missile sub.
Shoemaker was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a bad-conduct discharge.
He was the fourth of the seven submariners charged to pleaded guilty to various charges of viewing, filming and distributing videos of mids and four female officers assigned to the sub from late 2013 to mid-2014.
On May 26, MT2 (SS) Charles Greaves pleaded guilty to three of his 11 original charges, one count each of filming and distributing a video as well as disrespecting a senior officer.
He will serve 24 months in prison and receive a dishonorable discharge. His guilty plea was part of a deal with prosecutors to testify against other sailors implicated in the case.
On May 27, MT2 Joseph Bradley pleaded guilty to one count of distributing the videos, a deal that disregarded his four other charges of conspiracy, obstructing justice and two for distribution.
He was sentenced to 30 days in prison and a reduction in rank to E-3.
And on May 29, MT3 Brandon McGarity pleaded guilty to failing to report the videos and lying about their existence. He was sentenced to 15 days confinement, reduction in rank to E-2 and forfeiture of two-thirds of one month's pay.
"The Navy has brought women into the submarine force, and the accused has not gotten onboard," prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Lee Marsh said at Shoemaker's trial, asking the judge to "send a message to that submarine force that all sailors, male and female, will be treated with dignity and respect."
Three more sailors will face court-martial:
- MT2 Ryan Secrest: One count of conspiracy for using a camera phone underway; two counts of making a false official statement, for allegedly lying about being in the shower area during the midshipmen's designated shower time and lying about recording videos; one charge of recording female midshipmen.
- MT2 Jonathan Ashby: One count of conspiracy for allegedly giving Greaves his phone to transfer the videos and three counts of distributing the videos.
- MT3 Samuel Buchner: Two counts of conspiracy for allegedly coordinating distribution of videos among sailors and three counts of distributing videos.
Four more remain suspects but Jim Stein, Greaves' attorney, says that the Navy's investigation hasn't gone far enough.
Stein said his client gave the Naval Criminal Investigative Service a "barrel full" of information that has so far not led to charges, including the names of two of his clients' chiefs who asked to see the videos.
Stein added that his client learned at "C" school how to film women aboard a submarine, through a crack in the pipes between the showering changing area and an adjoining space, at "C" school.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
