HMCS Saskatoon - drug use trials

[Trinity]

Usual caveats apply

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/04/16/bc-sailor.html#skip300x250

A second former sailor from a warship based at CFB Esquimalt has been given a suspended sentence and a fine after pleading guilty to trafficking in cocaine.

Sonya Robert, 27, was charged in January 2006 following an undercover operation aboard the minesweeper HMCS Saskatoon.

Last week, Robert pleaded guilty in military court to selling half a gram of cocaine to a military undercover drug officer. She was fined $500 in addition to a 30-day suspended sentence.

Last month, a military court gave 28-year-old Brenda Murley, a former deckhand on the Saskatoon, a 15-day suspended sentence and a $500 fine after she pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Two other former crew members from the minesweeper also face courts martial.

Next month, a former communications specialist on HMCS Saskatoon will be court martialled under the same charge. The ship's former chief petty officer also faces trafficking charges, but no date has been set for his trial.


MORE AT THE ABOVE LINK

 

[geo]

Some bigger fish still to fry

The westies will be in the news for a little while yet.

 

[noneck]

Do you mean the unit or those posted in the Pacific region?

Noneck

 

[navymich]

And here is #3

Cocaine widespread on Canadian warship, court martial told
3rd sailor from HMCS Saskatoon convicted of drug charges
Last Updated: Monday, August 13, 2007 | 8:27 AM PT
CBC News

Cocaine was used regularly by about one-third of the crew members of a warship stationed at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt near Victoria, a military court has heard.

The details emerged Friday at the court martial of Jason Ennis, 24, one of four former sailors from HMCS Saskatoon who were discharged from the military after being charged with various drug offenses in 2006.

The court acquitted Ennis of trafficking but convicted him of cocaine use, levying a $2,000 fine.

Ennis told the court martial that 10 to 12 members of the 31-member crew on HMCS Saskatoon used cocaine regularly in January 2006.

The court also heard from Chief Petty Officer Leonard Hern, who was transferred to HMCS Saskatoon in January 2006 in order to deal with the drug problem.

"In my 38-year-long career, I have never seen such an appalling sight," Hern told the court. "The ship was disorganized, there was no discipline, and no trust among the crew."

The Canadian Forces launched an undercover operation in January 2006, after receiving complaints about widespread cocaine use on HMCS Saskatoon, a minesweeper in the Canadian Navy.

Hern told the military court he found the ship's crew divided into two camps: the quiet ones who didn't use drugs and the others, described by Hern as the most senior members, that ran the ship.

Two crew members, 27-year-old Sonya Robert and 28-year-old Brenda Murley, have already pleaded guilty in the case and were each fined $500.

The ship's former chief petty officer, Robert Carlson, has been charged with possession and trafficking. His court martial is scheduled for the fall.

Carlson is the highest-ranking military member to have been charged with drug offenses.

Ennis entered a drug rehab centre after being charged, but Hern dismissed him from duty shortly after his return because he suspected Ennis of using again.

HMCS Saskatoon is a Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessel, launched in 1998 and crewed almost entirely by members of the Naval Reserve. The vessel has multiple roles, including minesweeping, training and coastal patrol.

 

[observor 69]

Cocaine widespread on Canadian warship, court martial told.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/08/13/bc-hmcscocaine.html

Cocaine was used regularly by about one-third of the crew members of a warship stationed at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt near Victoria, a military court has heard.

'In my 38-year-long career, I have never seen such an appalling sight.'
—Chief Petty Officer Leonard Hern, sent to tackle drug problem on warshipThe details emerged Friday at the court martial of Jason Ennis, 24, one of four former sailors from HMCS Saskatoon who were discharged from the military after being charged with various drug offenses in 2006.

The court acquitted Ennis of trafficking but convicted him of cocaine use, levying a $2,000 fine.

Ennis told the court martial that 10 to 12 members of the 31-member crew on HMCS Saskatoon used cocaine regularly in January 2006.

The court also heard from Chief Petty Officer Leonard Hern, who was transferred to HMCS Saskatoon in January 2006 in order to deal with the drug problem.

"In my 38-year-long career, I have never seen such an appalling sight," Hern told the court. "The ship was disorganized, there was no discipline, and no trust among the crew.

More at link

 

[navymich]

Posted here as a continuation of the situation.

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Wow this is truly appalling. I wonder if this is the case in other ships in our Fleet....I hope not for the sake of safety if nothing else.

 

[Sub_Guy]

I know Mr. Carlson, needless to say I am disgusted at the fact that a person in his position (is accused of) such disgraceful activities. 

Doesn't set a good example for many of the junior sailors out here.

I hope they don't go easy on the guy, making a mistake is one thing, but this was just plain stupid.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I know Mr. Carlson, needless to say I am disgusted at the fact that a person in his position (is accused of) such disgraceful activities. 

Doesn't set a good example for many of the junior sailors out here.

I hope they don't go easy on the guy, making a mistake is one thing, but this was just plain stupid.

And does not your avatar glorify drug use? :

(Edited to add avatar picture referred to.)

 

[geo]

Well, fortunately for all, they have retired the "cat of nine tails" and felons are no longer "keel hauled" or made to "walk the plank".

Hope they dish out justice fairly and firmly.

 

[mudrecceman]

Hope they dish out justice fairly and firmly.

+1

 

[kincanucks]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20070814/ca_pr_on_na/bc_navy_drugs;_ylt=AubpgYsqHC3jJBJM1JfJtAOkz3wV

 

[kincanucks]

The Usual Disclaimer:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20070814/ca_pr_on_na/bc_navy_drugs;_ylt=AubpgYsqHC3jJBJM1JfJtAOkz3wV

Third sailor from Canadian warship found guilty of cocaine trafficking by court martial SCOTT SUTHERLAND
1 hour, 58 minutes ago



VICTORIA (CP) - A third member of the crew of a Pacific-based Canadian warship has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine, telling a military court that about one-third of the crew were regularly using the illegal drug.

Jason Ennis, once a leading seaman, was one of four crew members of HMCS Saskatoon charged after the military launched an undercover sting operation targeting the ship in early 2006.

Canadian Forces spokesman Capt. Darin Guenette said Monday that Ennis was found guilty of one count of trafficking cocaine and fined $2,000.

At the court martial last week, the spokeswoman confirmed, Ennis testified cocaine was in regular use by up to a dozen sailors, or about one-third of the crew aboard the 55-metre coastal defence vessel.

Navy spokesman Gerry Pash said Canadian Forces has a no tolerance rule with regards to the use of drugs.

"There is no evidence that drug use among Canadian Forces members is any greater than that of the general population and, indeed, the nature of service may even suggest that it might even be lesser because the consequences include dismissal as well as fines and perhaps prison," Pash said.

"Any incident like this, of course, is significant, and where there was drug use, charges were laid."

The spokeswoman said Ennis also told the military court he never used cocaine while serving aboard the warship.

Ennis was a naval reservist and communications specialist. He had originally been charged with two counts of trafficking and two counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline under the National Defence Act.

Ennis and the other three charged in the case have been discharged by the Canadian Forces.

Pash said the undercover operation was the result of a tip.

"A sailor came forward and indicated that something was amiss with regards to some rumours. That was immediately acted upon in terms of the recipient of that information going to the military police and the National Investigation Service."

Pash would not say whether there is a continuing problem with cocaine or other drugs within the Pacific Fleet.

"I don't know, and of course, if there was any other investigation I couldn't comment on any ongoing investigation. That answer is not a Yes and it's not a No. It is can't comment, don't know."

Online records from the office of the Chief Military Judge show that earlier this spring, two former Saskatoon crew members, Brenda Murley and Sonya Robert, pleaded guilty in separate courts martial to trafficking in cocaine.

Each was handed a suspended sentence and fined $500.

The fourth person charged was the warship's senior non-commissioned officer. Petty officer Robert Carlson was the ship's coxswain at the time of his arrest and in charge of discipline aboard.

He faces one count of trafficking under the National Defence Act and another count of having "behaved in a disgraceful manner."

A court martial has been set for Oct. 10.

In June 2006 the vessel got a new skipper when Lt.-Cmdr. David Botting was promoted.

HMCS Saskatoon is one of the navy's six maritime coastal defence vessels in the Pacific fleet, based at CFB Esquimalt.

 

[geo]

Hmmm.... old skipper got promoted outa the driver's seat?

Nice!

 

[Springroll]

Maybe they can start focusing on the stuff going on in the shacks for a bit....
Might help to set a better example by starting to enforce the CF's laws right from the moment they step foot into the shacks.

 

[George Wallace]

Maybe they can start focusing on the stuff going on in the shacks for a bit....
Might help to set a better example by starting to enforce the CF's laws right from the moment they step foot into the shacks.

Ah yes!  I heard there was a prison located in Victoria.  Work Point Barracks sounds like one.  How many 'screws' run the place?

 

[3rd Herd]

Maybe they can start focusing on the stuff going on in the shacks for a bit....

Legends, Myths and Lore were created in 1091 and 1092 plus the minor hick up from time to time in Victoria's Vital Statistics. Aside of that for as long as I can recall the lock up at Work Points front gate was used exclusively for the mandatory rest periods of hard working COS's and BOS's. Bad boys were shipped down to Naden as an example for the Navy to aspire too. ;D

 

[FSTO]

There are cells located at Naden at the MP shack. As Base Duty Officer, I had to go there to inspect a prisoner once, not a nice place.
The cells are very austere, and everything echos. If I remember correctly there are 6 cells ready to receive any and all defaulters.

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

There are cells located at Naden at the MP shack. As Base Duty Officer, I had to go there to inspect a prisoner once, not a nice place.
The cells are very austere, and everything echos. If I remember correctly there are 6 cells ready to receive any and all defaulters.

You are correct I also visited there as Duty Chaplain. I agree with Springroll there should be more supervision of our folks in Nellie's Block and A Block here.....there has been a lot of vandalism in A Block here and general disorder which is unworthy of a military establishment.

 

[hugh19]

Well disorder and vandalism are signs that someone is bored. Maybe some activities to keep the OD's busy would be good.