thedrifter
02-12-07, 10:02 AM
Former Marine sentenced for illegal shipping
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Feb 11, 2007 9:34:01 EST
DAVENPORT, Iowa — A former Marine reservist has been ordered to pay more than $30,000 and serve three years of probation for defrauding the federal government by shipping military metal-working equipment from Iraq to western Illinois.
Former Sgt. David Liske, 36, of Camanche received his sentence Friday in federal court in Rock Island, Ill. He pleaded guilty in October to shipping more than $7,800 worth of equipment in February 2005 to the Rock Island Arsenal Fire Department, where he worked as a civilian firefighter.
Liske said the equipment was to be used for training purposes at the Fire Department and apologized in court Friday, blaming his error on ignorance.
“I did not know that ... shipping that back here was going to cost ‘X’ amount,” said Liske, who was at Camp Fallujah supervising a welding and metal shop when the shipment was made. “I should not have done that. I will stand up for my responsibility because I should not have shipped it.”
The equipment included drills, cutters, saws and welding rods that were designated for the war effort. The 1,155-pound shipment was placed in a U.S. military shipping container at a cost of $22,351, court records state.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Lang said there was no evidence that Liske was going to commit a theft and use the equipment for his own side business, because the shipment was intercepted before reaching Liske.
“He knew he shouldn’t have shipped this away from where it was needed,” Lang told Judge Michael Mihm.
Liske’s sentence also includes three months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service and financial counseling. Liske also cannot have any new debt or credit exceeding $250 and must pay his restitution to his Marine Reserve unit within 30 days.
“You had to think it was going to cost something, and then there is the question of what you intended,” Mihm told Liske.
Liske’s attorney, Steve Hanna, said his client has taken out a loan to pay the restitution. He said Liske has been discharged from the Marine Reserve and might lose his firefighting career.
Liske was serving a six-month assignment with Combat Service Support Company 122 of the 1st Force Service Support Group of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. His tour in Iraq was from September 2004 to March 2005. His former unit is headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal in western Illinois.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Ellie
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Feb 11, 2007 9:34:01 EST
DAVENPORT, Iowa — A former Marine reservist has been ordered to pay more than $30,000 and serve three years of probation for defrauding the federal government by shipping military metal-working equipment from Iraq to western Illinois.
Former Sgt. David Liske, 36, of Camanche received his sentence Friday in federal court in Rock Island, Ill. He pleaded guilty in October to shipping more than $7,800 worth of equipment in February 2005 to the Rock Island Arsenal Fire Department, where he worked as a civilian firefighter.
Liske said the equipment was to be used for training purposes at the Fire Department and apologized in court Friday, blaming his error on ignorance.
“I did not know that ... shipping that back here was going to cost ‘X’ amount,” said Liske, who was at Camp Fallujah supervising a welding and metal shop when the shipment was made. “I should not have done that. I will stand up for my responsibility because I should not have shipped it.”
The equipment included drills, cutters, saws and welding rods that were designated for the war effort. The 1,155-pound shipment was placed in a U.S. military shipping container at a cost of $22,351, court records state.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Lang said there was no evidence that Liske was going to commit a theft and use the equipment for his own side business, because the shipment was intercepted before reaching Liske.
“He knew he shouldn’t have shipped this away from where it was needed,” Lang told Judge Michael Mihm.
Liske’s sentence also includes three months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service and financial counseling. Liske also cannot have any new debt or credit exceeding $250 and must pay his restitution to his Marine Reserve unit within 30 days.
“You had to think it was going to cost something, and then there is the question of what you intended,” Mihm told Liske.
Liske’s attorney, Steve Hanna, said his client has taken out a loan to pay the restitution. He said Liske has been discharged from the Marine Reserve and might lose his firefighting career.
Liske was serving a six-month assignment with Combat Service Support Company 122 of the 1st Force Service Support Group of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. His tour in Iraq was from September 2004 to March 2005. His former unit is headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal in western Illinois.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Ellie