Marines arrested during formation at Camp Pendleton

Three video clips show the July 25 arrest of Marines from 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

[ladylily]

When we were stationed at Ingleside, TX, I reported a large group I witnessed huddled around a desk watching child r*pe porn. I had listened to enough of their vile remarks to know they didn't just stumble on it and were going to report it. I was told they would be dealt with. Two years later, I learned two of the men earned promotions to the next rank and the others were either still stationed there or moved to another duty station. The person I reported them to was part of their CP ring. Six years later, we were in Groton, CT. Here we go again ... more underage and child s*xual abuse, including materials and active physical abuse on children and underage girls. The command didn't play games there. Several men and one woman were arrested and everything they touched was taken into evidence. Families were questioned and there was even a sweep of their neighborhoods to question neighbors and children. Big difference between locations.

[Callsign_Sam]

The sad part is multiple of the marines arrested were demoted and ran through the legal system because their command insisted they knew about everything going on despite zero evidence. One of the marines I knew. He was arrested because his roommate was involved and first sergeant was 100% certain he had to know something. He knew nothing. They wasted his time for years and caused a good marine to leave the corps.

EDIT: for those asking, it was released everything that happened after the investigation. Marine Corps was forced to drop many of the charges due to illegal handling of the investigation on the Marine Corps' side. But, those who were actually guilty and participated in the crimes were dealt with by both law enforcement and the Marine Corps and got what they deserved. No, they were not trafficking children for sex slavery. They were trafficking weapons, drugs, and families across the border. And yes, it is possible to have a roommate for an extended period of time and not know wtf they do after work. Everyone has their own personal life.

[vicO]

I lost a boot camp buddy in June 1970. He was a grunt in 2nd plt, Fox company, he died from multiple fragmentation wounds. These Pendleton Marines have dishonored themselves, their families and most of all 5th Marines.

[taun]

I was in the Army, and one morning they called us out for formation then sent the MP's and dogs through the barracks for drugs. They found one soldier with some hash, but the very next morning the dogs went through the MP's barracks and they ended up busting half the company. Poetic justice.

[cyanideinmycereal]

I appreciate that they kinda just had them march out of formation and stand in a perfect line, like they got the order to get arrested and were just like “alright then fair enough.”

[sittingindetroit]

Back in the 70s we were called out to formation and you could see the drug dogs going into the barracks. Found nothing but as the went to the company HQ, the dogs stopped at a Marine who was discharged that day and was waiting for his buddy to bring him to the airport. Since discharge day is an active duty day, his “enlistment” was extended for another 3-5 years.

[Blktxdom]

I served six years...and wonder WHAT might have been if I served at Pendleton. Glad I didn't reenlist, because incidents like this would destroy unit morale, cause tremendous loss of confidence, and mark the unit as a BAD tour to have.

[Warmaker]

I used to be in the USMC working as an F/A-18 maintainer. In the early 2000s I belonged to a joint Marine - Navy Hornet training squadron at MCAS Miramar, at San Diego, CA. In 2000 there was a bunch of busts within one of the work centers that ran a drug ring. They had members of the squadron who were really NCIS that helped root these guys out. The work center that had lost so many members couldn't function anymore, so higher echelon transferred in a bunch of guys from deployable squadrons to staff that shop once again.

[acanthafiore]

I remember hearing about this which happened the exact year I got out, imagine being told you were getting awarded only to get bamboozled and arrested.

[KapuAdam]

I was stationed there with 2/5. People would be shocked at how much organized crime occurs on Camp Pendleton. This is not the first trafficking ring to get taken down.

[richglenn]

Military prosecutors dropped human trafficking and drug charges against most of the two dozen Marines recently arrested in front of their Camp Pendleton battalion, days after a court ruled those arrests were an unlawful violation of their rights, Marine Corps officials confirmed Tuesday.Dec 3, 2019. SD union trib.

[nc]

While I was between A schools in Great Lakes NTC, I had a collateral duty where I had to escort people returning from AWOL/UA through their processing (drug tests, admin stuff) I saw many people with disciplinary stuff on their way to getting kicked out or sent to the fleet un designated (Deck Seaman). Watching them go through that was the biggest deterrent for getting in trouble for me.

[jorgepadua]

Marines to be arrested! Center! March!

[joelphillips]

my dad was a combat instructor on Pendleton we all lived there for three years and we moved like a year before this happened. It was crazy to me because i never thought marines would do this but also i knew that Pendleton was the marine version of a small city. Where marines and dependents would rob the gas station and break into homes for a lil extra money for the commisary

[RowdyUpInHere]

I had a marine coworker that told me he smuggled people. I never believed him but after seeing this video he was probably telling the truth. Crazy bastard

[coryorcutt]

Growing up in the Marines. The amout of child abuse and sexual assault towards children I witnessed, and/or experienced is truly astounding as an adult now.

The best decision I hope I truly made, was telling my recruiter I wouldn't be going to boot camp as scheduled.

[MisterBones]

Everytime there was a search for drugs/contraband in the barracks they always found something. A whole lot of something. Never had anyone arrested that I knew, but a ton of NJP's thrown out like candy 🍬

[FoneArc]

Those are the most disciplined criminal suspects I’ve ever seen. No resisting arrest, no asking what happening. Just follow orders and get arrested.

[BIGHURTification]

I remember when I was in Sgt's course back in 04 a Sgt always came to class with between $30-50k in his pocket. He was a grunt to from 1/5. He was robbing banks in fallbrook and escaping through the back gate onto base. He and couple other Marines were checking their rifles out of the armory to rob the banks. It wasn't in formation though!

[prok]

I was in that formation watching some of my boys get taken away. They had popped for drugs, and had nothing to do with the guys involved with the smuggling. They were solid grunts who knew their job and never pussied out. It made me sick to watch them get treated like that in front of everyone. Rules are rules, and they got caught, but plenty don’t and go on to pick up rank. This was one of the major moments that made up my mind to not re up.