Hazing, assault charges against sailors revised

BREMERTON – The U.S. Navy has modified charges against five submariners accused of hazing and assaulting fellow USS Columbus crew members and dropped charges against a sixth sailor after a transfer of jurisdiction in the cases.

Rear Adm. William French, the commanding officer in charge of the Navy’s Northwest region, took over early this month as convening authority for the special courts martial.

He was brought in to avoid any appearance of inappropriate command influence from the officer in charge of submarines based at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, according to Navy spokeswoman Lt. Herlinda Sweeney.

In March, a sailor on the Columbus alleged he was the victim of hazing and assault, which led to an inquiry by Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Seven Columbus sailors were charged on April 14 in connection with the investigation.

The victim reported to base security that he had rubbing alcohol poured on his clothes and then had them set on fire. He said he was hit on the head with a wrench and another sailor pointed a loaded gun at him more than once.

After a review of the cases, charges against Senior Chief Sean Howe, 34, were dropped, Sweeney said.

Howe, the highest-ranking sailor implicated, had been accused of failing to stop the alleged abuse of the primary victim. Howe still may face administrative punishment stemming from the allegations.

Conspiracy charges against three other men were withdrawn. Petty Officer 1st Class Eleazar Garza, 24, Petty Officer 1st Class Alvin Franklin, 25, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Bruce, 22, had been accused of conspiring to pour rubbing alcohol on the victim’s clothing and set it on fire.

Another sailor, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Kidder, had been charged in that alleged plot as well. Kidder, 23, pleaded guilty to some charges in a May 23 summary court martial, the lowest level of military court, and received five days of restriction.

Punishments at summary court martial are limited to two months of restriction, forfeiture of two-thirds of one month’s pay and reduction in pay grade.

In addition to the charges against the enlisted sailors, the sub’s commanding officer was relieved of command June 13. Navy officials said they lost confidence in the leadership of Cmdr. Charles Marquez after the hazing accusations surfaced in March.