Three Sailors plead guilty for roles in fourth Sailor’s fentanyl related death
Shortly after graduating from basic training, a 21-year-old sailor took fentanyl in the barracks and subsequently passed away. Three sailors involved with this incident were brought to trial in connection with their roles in this Sailor’s death. One of the sailors, Seaman Brandon R. Ledesma, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide. Ledesma was the one who provided the fentanyl. When the sailor collapsed, Ledesma and others moved the body instead of immediately calling for help.
From The Navy Times:
A 21-year-old recently graduated sailor died Nov. 6, 2021, after taking the drug in a barracks building aboard Great Lakes.
Navy Times has confirmed the deceased sailor’s name but is withholding it at the request of his family.
During a two-day trial at the Illinois base on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29, Seaman Brandon R. Ledesma pleaded guilty to a negligent homicide charge specification for giving the deceased sailor fentanyl, according to a Navy Region Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Beth Baker.
Ledesma agreed to a plea deal and initially faced another negligent homicide charge specification for failing to contact authorities after the sailor collapsed, according to Ledesma’s charge sheet.
He also pleaded guilty to an obstruction of justice charge specification for moving the sailor’s body into another room aboard the USS Cole barracks building on base, according to Baker and charge sheets. Ledesma further pleaded guilty to one charge specification for distributing fentanyl aboard the base on Nov. 5, 2021, the day before the sailor’s death, Baker said in an email.
Ledesma initially faced multiple additional charge specifications, including involuntary manslaughter, lying to authorities, using and distributing a variety of illegal drugs aboard the Illinois base and for stealing more than $500 in video games, clothing and hygiene items from the base’s Navy Exchange, according to his charge sheet.
A military judge sentenced Ledesma to 28 months confinement in the brig, a dishonorable discharge and reduction in rank to E-1, Baker said.
The Navy Times provides additional information here.
Category: Navy
I have yet to hear a politician pronounce Fentanyl correctly.
They all follow Biden and call it Fentinol. (Fen-tin-all).
It’s as if they don’t care as long as they get their share$
SO how IS it properly pronounced.
Not being around it in any way, shape, or form (that I know of), I’ve never been taught “the right way”.
So…..is it “fen-tan-ill”?
Yes.
Shameful all the way around. Obviously the three sailors were wrong for their respective roles in this incident, but the dead sailor was obviously not an innocent victim himself.
I’m certain that some chiefs’ and also some ossifers’ heads rolled over this.
Sympathies to the family of the Service Member. Kong Rats to the dumbasses that f^cked up their lives. There’s a reason it’s called “dope”.
Hard to have sympathy for the deceased. You would think that after years of reports of people dropping dead left and right from Fentanyl, he would have done a risk assessment and took a hard pass on the offer. Can’t understand why someone would risk their career and life consuming illicit drugs that you have no idea what is actually in it, but every day we have more idiots falling victim.
Queue in my brother and my best friend. I haven’t completely written them off and would gladly converse with them, but I’ve cut off communication with their alter egos while they indulge in meth and who knows what else. Word is that fentanyl is being introduced into meth and other drugs due to its cheapness and quick high. Maybe I see one or both again, maybe I don’t. Does it really matter? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Death is permanent but at least you no longer feel. Prison on a homicide conviction for enabling the death of a “friend”? Well, you get to live with yourself for a long time.
WTF is wrong with these kids. When I was in Great Lakes Boot Camp in 1963, we had a lounge where recruits could smoke and coke (Coca Cola machine) at the end of the day after training.. I spent most of my time working off demerits
at the end of the day in the large drill hall doing the 96 count manual of arms to music with a shit load of other screw ups Couldn’t fold my uniforms right and tied the knot on my dittybag attached to the bunk rail the wrong way..
When I went to RTC Great Lakes in 1995 we weren’t allowed to use the lounges. Only time we were ever in there was for a few Boot Camp Cruise Book photos and to store my Company in during compartment inspections.
Forget the brig. Keelhaul all 3. Fly them out to the Gerald R. Ford. They’re probably at max speed right now, plus it’s a good morale booster.
When was the last time our navy keelhauled someone? Seems it would take a long time to go around the bottom of an aircraft carrier.
If there’s something afloat with a deeper draft or broader beam, I’m ok with a replacement.