Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 19, 1993 TAG: 9308190152
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: Medium
The investigation surfaced in the Oceanside (Calif.) Police Department, whose child-abuse unit heard through an informant that between two dozen and 200 Marines were being photographed and videotaped having sex with teen-age boys at a private residence in North San Diego County.
During the investigation, which began in mid-July, Oceanside police reported finding dozens of magazines, photographs and videotapes depicting male Marines - some partially uniformed - having sex with other men.
No charges have been filed, and police officials said Wednesday that they have been unable to confirm the involvement of minors or to determine whether the materials were being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service in a way that violated postal laws.
However, Camp Pendleton officials said the matter has been referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS, which is responsible for investigating felony offenses by members of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Although few civilian laws restrict homosexual or heterosexual pornography, the Uniform Code of Military Justice forbids military personnel from engaging in sodomy, prostitution, indecent acts with a child and distributing obscene material in the mail.
Chief Warrant Officer Mike Hedlund, the base spokesman, said Wednesday that the NCIS is "investigating allegations that Marines were involved in the production, manufacture and sale of pornographic material."
Hedlund declined to say how many Marines are being investigated.
The investigation comes at a difficult time for Camp Pendleton, a Marine training base north of San Diego, which has been rocked in recent months by numerous suicides and allegations ranging from sexual harassment to drug and alcohol abuse.
by CNB