Inquiry Links Marines to Gay Pornography : Camp Pendleton: Undetermined number at base allegedly took part in making explicit films, magazines and photos, police and military officials say.

An undetermined number of Camp Pendleton Marines are being investigated for appearing in homosexual pornographic movies and for distributing the material through the mail, officials at the base confirmed Wednesday.

The investigation was begun by the Oceanside Police Department, whose child-abuse unit heard through an informant that between two dozen and 200 Marines were being photographed and videotaped having sex with teen-age boys at a private residence in North San Diego County.

During the investigation, which began in mid-July, Oceanside police reported finding dozens of magazines, photographs and videotapes depicting male Marines--some partially uniformed--having sex with other men.

No charges have been filed, and police officials said Wednesday that they have been unable to confirm the involvement of minors or to determine whether the materials were being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service in a way that violated postal laws.

However, Camp Pendleton officials said the matter has been referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which is responsible for investigating felony offenses by members of the Navy and the Marine Corps.

Although few civilian laws restrict homosexual or heterosexual pornography, the Uniform Code of Military Justice forbids personnel from engaging in sodomy, prostitution, indecent acts with a child or distributing obscene material in the mail.

Chief Warrant Officer Mike Hedlund, the base spokesman, said Wednesday that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is “investigating allegations that Marines were involved in the production, manufacture and sale of pornographic material.”

Hedlund declined to say how many Marines are being investigated.

The investigation comes at a difficult time for the West Coast’s only amphibious training base, which has been rocked in recent months by numerous suicides and allegations ranging from sexual harassment to substance abuse.

Last week’s on-again, off-again decision in Washington to accept no married recruits after Oct. 1, 1995, seemed to divide the camp further, with some Marines saying such a ban was unjust and others sounding perplexed that the corps’ leadership chose to rescind its decision.

Vincent Giaime, special agent in charge of the investigative service field office at Camp Pendleton, told the North County Blade-Citizen that the investigation was “not a witch hunt to go out and identify Marines who are homosexuals.”

Until recently, the military enforced a ban on homosexuality by asking potential enlistees their sexual orientation on recruiting forms. The Clinton Administration’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which takes effect Oct. 1, eliminates the question.

Oceanside Police Sgt. John Lamb said the department’s child abuse unit began investigating allegations in mid-July that juveniles were involved in “sexually explicit male videos” being manufactured and distributed at an Oceanside home.

Lamb said a preliminary inquiry turned up no evidence of juvenile involvement but did reveal that “active-duty military personnel were heavily involved, which was of no great interest to us,” since it involved sex between consenting adults.

At this point, the only aspect of the case still under investigation by civilian authorities, Lamb said, is the fact that the man operating the ring is on federal probation and allegedly operating a business without a license.

He said the pornographic material, which was advertised in sexually graphic homosexual magazines, was being shipped by United Parcel Service, which Lamb called a legal means of distribution.

“At this point, our investigation is closed,” Lamb said, “but I would put a proviso on that. If we’re presented with any evidence of juvenile involvement, we would reopen our part of the case immediately, regardless of what the military does.”