PORT HUENEME : Navy to Charge 3 in Capture of Deserter

Three members of the U.S. Navy’s military police in Port Hueneme are facing charges of misconduct for apprehending a deserter off base without authorization, investigators said.

The three men, in addition to a civilian employee of the military police at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, captured the deserter by stopping him while he was driving in Oxnard Nov. 16 , Navy officials said.

William Nugent, resident agent in charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Port Hueneme, said the four were outside their jurisdiction when they made the stop and did not have the authority to do so. “Their jurisdiction is within the base,” he said.

The deserter, whom military officials would not identify, was already facing military charges when he left the base, Nugent said.

Master-at-Arms Senior Chief George R. Taylor, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Bassett and Signalman 2nd Class Thomas S. Hinson have all opted to have their case tried during a court martial, rather than settling the charges against them in an administrative hearing.

If found guilty of a charge of dereliction of duty, the three could face up to six months in confinement and a bad conduct discharge, Nugent said.

A base spokeswoman said that a date for the court martial has not yet been set.

Byron J. Frank, a civilian employee of the military police who was allegedly involved in the incident, will probably face disciplinary procedures, Nugent said.