THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 30, 1995 TAG: 9512300399
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: PEARL HARBOR LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
Capt. Fred W. Dew was reinstated Friday as commanding officer of the Navy Public Works Center here after an investigation cleared him of charges of adultery with a civilian, sexual harassment and conduct unbecoming of an officer, the Navy announced.
Dew, 47, was relieved of his command of the Navy's fourth largest public works center on Dec. 9, pending an investigation into the complaints.
There was a ``lack of substantive evidence'' to warrant any further action, said Rear Adm. Gordon S. Holder, the commander of the Naval Surface Group, Middle Pacific, who ordered the reinstatement.
Dew, a 24-year Navy veteran, was charged with adultery by C. Dudley Pratt, a prominent Honolulu business leader who said his former wife, Betsy Uohara Pratt, was having an affair with Dew.
The Pratts were divorced Nov. 28 and Betsy Pratt married Dew on Dec. 20.
Holder's investigation also could not substantiate an anonymous sexual harassment complaint against Dew, the Navy said.
Dew's case attracted national attention because of a series of sexual misconduct allegations in recent months as the Navy continues to struggle in the aftermath of the 1991 Tailhook scandal.
KEYWORDS: U.S. NAVY SEXUAL MISCONDUCT by CNB