Another headline with bad news

coast
Originally uploaded by n.elle

From the AP in Detroit:

Federal prosecutors are seeking a 3-year prison sentence for a former . . . petty officer who extorted $35,000 from a Detroit-area illegal immigrant. . . . He pleaded guilty in December to shaking down an immigrant in his Macomb County neighborhood with the promise he could help the man avoid deportation.

I posted about this at An Unofficial Blog a couple months ago, wondering if he'd use the Boatswain Mate Defense.

Guess not.

The article goes on to say, "But [he] did nothing in exchange for the money."

Well, that's not fair...

Prosecutors say his conduct "disgraced" the [service] and "tarnished the image" of people who serve their country.

I'll say; if you're going to shake someone down, you ought to follow through and actually provide the service. Yes, otherwise you are a disgrace.

UPDATE 5/13/2009 2130 EDT: According to Ben Schmitt at the Detroit Free Press, the former petty officer received 2 years and was fined $2,500.

From Mr. Schmitt's article:

"The privilege of federal service and the honor of protecting the United States in the U.S. [military] should never be sullied by soliciting bribes, particularly when the purpose of the bridge is to prevent the execution of an officer’s lawful duties of enforcing the Nation’s immigration laws," U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg said in a statement today.

Captain David R. Callahan, Acting Commander of the Ninth . . . District said, "[His] actions were contrary to the [service]'s core values of honor, respect and devotion to to duty. The [service] is disappointed that [he] chose to violate the public trust rather than embrace our core values and serve the public."