Former Senior U.S. Navy Employee Convicted For Bribery Conspiracy And Lying To Investigators

The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:

A federal jury in the District of Columbia convicted the former Director of Operations of the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command Office in Busan, South Korea, today for his role in a bribery conspiracy and for lying to federal investigators.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Fernando Xavier Monroy, 64, of Brentwood, New York, engaged in a conspiracy to commit bribery with the owner of DK Marine, a South Korea-based company that provided services to the U.S. Navy, and a former civilian U.S. Navy cargo ship captain. Evidence at trial proved that Monroy conspired to unlawfully provide services for the Navy ship, captained by one of Monroy’s co-conspirators, during a December 2013 port visit in Chinhae, South Korea.

Evidence at trial also proved that Monroy provided a co-conspirator with confidential and other proprietary, internal U.S. Navy information. In exchange for the steering of business and the provision of such information, the co-conspirator paid bribes to Monroy, including cash, personal travel expenses, meals and alcoholic beverages, and the services of prostitutes. Monroy also repeatedly lied to special agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) during a voluntary interview in July 2019.

Monroy was convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, and making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

The DCIS and NCIS investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Sara Hallmark and Amanda Lingwood of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

 

Defense Secretary Mattis Describes North Korea Regime As ‘Threat To The Entire World’

Lisa Ferdinando at the DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2018 — The regime of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un remains a danger to the world, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said yesterday in Honolulu, while emphasizing diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

The goal remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Mattis told reporters at U.S. Pacific Command’s headquarters at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, with South Korea Minister of Defense Song Young-moo.

“The Kim regime is a threat to the entire world,” Mattis said. “It’s an international problem that requires an international solution.”

He noted three unanimous United Nations Security Council Resolutions on North Korea.

“Our response to this threat remains diplomacy led, backed up with military options available to ensure that our diplomats are understood to be speaking from a position of strength,” the secretary explained.

U.S.-South Korea ‘Ironclad and Irreplaceable’ Alliance

Mattis and Song reaffirmed the strength of their countries’ alliance and America’s pledge to defend South Korea and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S.-South Korean alliance is “ironclad and irreplaceable,” Mattis said.

“Our combined militaries stand shoulder-to-shoulder ready to defend against any attack” on South Korea or the United States, he said.

Mattis praised South Korea’s “steadfast action upholding United Nations sanctions at sea,” noting South Korea has impounded two ships that were found violating the U.N. Resolutions using ship-to-ship transfer at cargo at sea.

South Korea “leads by example in carrying out the United Nations’ sanctions,” Mattis said, adding North Korea is reminded that “risking its economy to boost its rockets makes it less secure, not more.”

Enduring Pacific Power

Mattis said Song is always welcome at the Pacific Command headquarters in Honolulu. This was the last stop of the secretary’s trip that also took him to Indonesia and Vietnam.

“Here in beautiful Hawaii we’re reminded that America is an enduring Pacific power -- five of our states plus territories all touch on this shared ocean,” he said.

Reckless Rhetoric, Dangerous Provocations

Mattis said the United States and South Korea welcome the Olympic Games talks between North Korea and South Korea, but at the same time, “remain steadfast with the international economic pressure campaign to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.”

The talks for the Olympics, Mattis explained, do not address the overarching problems with North Korea.

“Diplomacy should repose reason on Kim’s reckless rhetoric and dangerous provocations,” he said.

North Korea is sending athletes, including hockey players for a unified South Korea-North Korea team, to the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea. The games begin Feb. 9.

U.S. B-1B Bomber Flights Demonstrate Commitment To South Korea

The DoD News released the below report:

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, July 8, 2017 — As part of the continuing demonstration of the U.S. commitment to its allies against the growing threat from North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs, two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a 10-hour sequenced bilateral mission yesterday with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.

The mission is in response to a series of increasingly escalatory actions by North Korea, including the July 3 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, officials said.

"North Korea's actions are a threat to our allies, partners and homeland," said Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. "Let me be clear, if called upon we are trained, equipped and ready to unleash the full lethal capability of our allied air forces."

The B-1B's flew to the Korean Peninsula, where they were joined by South Korean F-15 fighter jets and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters. The B-1B's practiced attack capabilities by releasing inert weapons at the Pilsung Range.

Preserving Region's Security

"U.S. bombers and Republic of Korea fighters are just two of many lethal military options at our disposal," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, U.S. Forces Korea deputy commander. The mission clearly demonstrates that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains prepared to use the full range of capabilities to defend and to preserve the security of the Korean Peninsula and region, he added.

En route back to Guam, the B-1B's flew and integrated with Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets over the East China Sea.

"The U.S.-Japan alliance and the relationship between our militaries are stronger than they have ever been," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Jerry P. Martinez, U.S. Forces Japan commander. "We continue to train with our Japanese allies to ensure we are ready to defend ourselves from attack."

U.S. Pacific Command maintains flexible bomber and jet fighter capabilities in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat to defend the U.S. homeland and in support of U.S. allies, officials said.

Note: In the above DoD released photo, courtesy of the South Korean Air Force, U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, fly with South Korean F-15 and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula on  July 7, 2017. 

You can click on the above photo to enlarge.