Former navy chief faces court-martial
By SCOTT SUTHERLAND
The Canadian Press
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 – Page A9
VICTORIA -- The Canadian sailor once in charge of discipline on HMCS Saskatoon faces court-martial today for allegedly being part of a cocaine-trafficking ring aboard the warship.
The military trial of former chief petty officer Robert Carlson comes on the heels of two more unrelated drug arrests at CFB Esquimalt early last month involving training personnel.
Mr. Carlson was the Saskatoon's coxswain and was the senior non-commissioned officer aboard at the time of his arrest.
He faces one count of trafficking under the National Defence Act and another count of having "behaved in a disgraceful manner."
A navy spokesman said Mr. Carlson has been released by the Canadian Forces.
"He will be court-martialled as a civilian, but he is still subject to the charges under the National Defence Act," said navy Lieutenant Paul Pendergast.
Mr. Carlson was the most senior of four crew members of HMCS Saskatoon charged after an independent military police unit launched an undercover sting operation in early 2006.
Former leading seaman Jason Ennis, 24, told his court-martial in August that about one-third of the crew were using cocaine and that cocaine was in regular use.
Mr. Ennis also told the military court he never used cocaine while serving aboard the warship. One charge of trafficking was stayed and he was found not guilty of the other and fined $2,000.
Mr. Ennis was released by the Canadian Forces, as were former Saskatoon crew members Brenda Murley and Sonya Robert.
Ms. Murley and Ms. Robert pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking in the spring. Each was handed a suspended sentence and fined $500.
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service began looking into a suspected drug ring aboard the ship in the first days of January, 2006.
HMCS Saskatoon is one of the navy's six Kingston-class multitasking maritime coastal defence vessels in the Pacific fleet, based at CFB Esquimalt.
The base is also home to one destroyer, five frigates, a submarine and an ocean-going supply ship.
On Sept. 4. the National Investigation Service announced two more B.C. sailors, both attached to the Canadian Forces Fleet School at CFB Esquimalt, had been charged with selling cocaine.
Ordinary Seaman Christopher Ellis was charged with two counts of trafficking and two counts of drug use.
OS Seaman Matthew Lee was charged with one count of trafficking.