Firearms-related court martial (US Coast Guard)

[Slater]

The following was extracted from the current Navy Times article on USCG courts martial. A search of that site will yield the whole article on current USCG legal proceedings:

"At general court-martial, an E-8 was convicted of receiving a purchased firearm without being licensed to deal, import, manufacture or collect firearms; knowingly possessing a large capacity weapon and a large capacity feeding device without a valid Class A or Class B license to carry firearms, and owning or possessing ammunition without a firearm identification card. The E-8 was sentenced to forfeiture of $150 a month for four years and reduction in paygrade to E-7."

Anyone know what state this offense occurred in? Looks like he got hammered.

[Travis B]

...valid Class A or Class B license to carry firearms..."

Anyone know what state this offense occurred in? Looks like he got hammered.

From a quick google search it appears those licenses are issued in the state of Massachusetts.

[ABNAK]

So why wasn't he brought up on state charges then? Why the federal court-martial conviction?

[SomeOtherGuy]

So why wasn't he brought up on state charges then? Why the federal court-martial conviction?

Totally guessing here - but because USCG is a federal law enforcement agency (and, in some contexts, also a military organization), he may have had some defense, or been exempted under Mass. law, from state law violations; but if what he did was not within his official USCG duties, it might be appropriate for USCG to discipline him using internal processes. This is a WAG, but USCG does have a unique dual status as both law enforcement and military, which might complicate bringing state charges against him.

Another WAG is that he might have been facing prison time under state charges, and some sort of deal had the state dropping charges while USCG prosecuted them, resulting in a much more lenient punishment. Also a WAG.

[WillBrink]

The following was extracted from the current Navy Times article on USCG courts martial. A search of that site will yield the whole article on current USCG legal proceedings:

"At general court-martial, an E-8 was convicted of receiving a purchased firearm without being licensed to deal, import, manufacture or collect firearms; knowingly possessing a large capacity weapon and a large capacity feeding device without a valid Class A or Class B license to carry firearms, and owning or possessing ammunition without a firearm identification card. The E-8 was sentenced to forfeiture of $150 a month for four years and reduction in paygrade to E-7."

Anyone know what state this offense occurred in? Looks like he got hammered.

I don't know if any other states use it, but Class A & B is used in MA.

[Averageman]

The E-8 was sentenced to forfeiture of $150 a month for four years and reduction in paygrade to E-7.

I've never heard of UCMJ action being handled with a fine quiet like $150 per month for FOUR years.