USS Vella Gulf NCIS Indecent Assault File

A Woman Reported Being Assaulted in a USS Vella Gulf Cabin. Jurisdiction Problems Left the Case to Prosecutor Declinations and Employer Action.

NCIS records say a woman reported waking in a USS Vella Gulf cabin as a linguist rubbed her legs and crotch area, pinned her to the floor, and pressed his erection against her. The file says federal prosecutors declined extradition and prosecution, Navy legal officials cited lack of jurisdiction, and the employer had released the subject from employment before NCIS closed the case.

Indecent AssaultUSS Vella GulfContractorForeign NationalJurisdiction IssueProsecution DeclinedEmployer ActionPrior Allegation

This page summarizes one Naval Criminal Investigative Service case file. The source PDF and optical character recognition transcript appear below so readers can compare the summary against the record.

What the NCIS File Says

Military authorities reported that a woman alleged indecent assault by a person while USS Vella Gulf was underway.

The report says she fell asleep in the Unit Commander's Cabin, woke with the lights off as the subject rubbed her legs and crotch area, struggled with him, and said he pinned her to the floor and pressed his erection against her several times before she escaped.

The narrative says the subject was a Djiboutian national employed as a linguist with Mission Essential Personnel. The background section also references an earlier alleged attempted kiss aboard USS Mason that did not become a formal command complaint.

The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to seek extradition and prosecution, saying the case fell below its threshold. NAVCENT legal officials declined Uniform Code of Military Justice prosecution, citing lack of jurisdiction over the subject.

The employer had already released the subject from employment and confiscated his government employment identification. NCIS closed the case because of prosecutorial declinations, employer action, and lack of evidence to support further remedies.

Case Timeline

December 25, 2008

The alleged indecent assault occurred aboard USS Vella Gulf while underway.

January 5, 2009

The investigation was initiated after military authorities reported the allegation.

June 19, 2009

NCIS briefed the case to the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Norfolk, who declined extradition and prosecution.

July 14, 2009

NCIS spoke with the Mission Essential Personnel site manager at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

August 18, 2009

The closed Report of Investigation was dated.

Why This Record Matters

The file shows how a shipboard allegation can become complicated when the alleged offender is a foreign-national contractor or contractor employee.

The accountability path moved through NCIS, federal prosecutors, NAVCENT legal review, CTF-56, and employer-side action rather than a simple command prosecution.

The prior alleged attempted kiss aboard USS Mason may indicate earlier warning signs that did not become a formal complaint.

NCIS Source Document

This is the NCIS Report of Investigation for the case file. MLAA has preserved the source PDF, Bates range, and NCIS file number so readers can inspect the record directly.

First page preview for A Woman Reported Being Assaulted in a USS Vella Gulf Cabin. Jurisdiction Problems Left the Case to Prosecutor Declinations and Employer Action.

First page of the NCIS case file.

Source type: NCIS investigation file
Command or vessel: CTF-56, NSA BAHRAIN/49715
NCIS file number: 053JANQ9-MEBJ -0001-8DNA/C
Bates range: 0040-0041
Source file length: 2 pages

View NCIS Source PDF for Case 053JANQ9-MEBJ -0001-8DNA/C

Readable OCR Transcript

The transcript below reproduces the substantive report text from the NCIS file in readable form, including the executive summary when one appears in the source. Paragraph numbers come from the original report. Redactions are shown as [REDACTED]. Because the text was generated from OCR, verify exact quotations against the source PDF.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Investigation was initiated on 05JAN09, after Military authorities reported [REDACTED] (oy7XC} had made an allegation of indecent assault by [REDACTED] while underway on the USS VELLA GULF G-72). According to [REDACTED] 25Dec08 between the hours of 0500 and 0600, she fell asleep while watching movies with [REDACTED], (o \in the Unit Commander's Cabin (UCC) assigned as his quarters [REDACTED] stated she awoke with the lights off and [REDACTED] of her rubbing her legs and crotch area [REDACTED] stated they fell to the floor and struggled [REDACTED] pinned [REDACTED] floor and pressed his erection against her several times [REDACTED] able to release herself from [REDACTED] grasp and exit the room. On same date [REDACTED] reported the incident to the chain of command on the USS VELLA GULF G-72).

2. On 18JAN09 [REDACTED] returned to Djibouti pending outcome of this investigation. On 17FEB09 [REDACTED] returned to Norfolk, VA. On 19Jun09, SSA [REDACTED] NCISFO Norfolk, VA briefed this investigation to SAUSA [REDACTED].S. Attorney's Office, Norfolk VA who declined to pursue the extradition and prosecution of(4[REDACTED] ¢)

NARRATIVE

1. This investigation is being initiated pursuant to suspected violations of Title 18 U.S.C. (Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act) and/or violation of Article 120 (Indecent Assault), of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

2. AS background {bj [REDACTED] Djiboutian National and employed as a linguist with Mission Essential Personnel (MEP) based in Columbus, Ohio [REDACTED] worked with [REDACTED] interpreter on previous assignments aboard the USNS LARAMIE (TAO 203) and USS MASON (DDG-87 [REDACTED] allegedly attempted to kiss [REDACTED] while aboard the USS MASON (DDG-87 [REDACTED] reported the incident to several personnel aboard the USS MASON (DDG-87 [REDACTED] Chose not to make a formal complaint and to handle the matter herself. Senior command members of the USS MASON (DDG-87) were not apprised of the incident.

3. Subsequent to the submission of Reference (A), on 19Jun09, SSA [REDACTED], NCISFO Norfolk briefed this investigation to SAUSA US Attorney's Office, Norfolk, VA who advised this indecent assault case falls beneath the threshold of the U.S. Attorney's office and there is no interest in seeking extradition of [REDACTED] this incident.

4. On 14Jul09, RA spoke with — [REDACTED] ~—Ss : Site Manager, MEP, NSA, Bahrain. [REDACTED] ¢informed [REDACTED] released from employment during the March-April 2009 timeframe due to the inability to utilize [REDACTED] While pending the outcome of this investigation.

5. On 27Jul09, RA briefed [REDACTED] NAVCENT, SJA of the above captioned investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office pursue prosecution under the UCM) citing lack of jurisdiction over [REDACTED] stated there is not enough evidence to support a disbarment letter from NSA Bahrain.

6. On 273u109, RA briefed) [REDACTED] byz7yc) OIC, CTF-56, MIO/IET, NSA Bahrain of the closure of this investigation.

7. On 27Jul09, RA briefed, — [REDACTED] ‘ , acting Site Manager, MEP, NSA, Bahrain of the closure of this investigation [REDACTED] informed he released [REDACTED] from employment and confiscated [REDACTED] government employment identification. [REDACTED] advised [REDACTED] “hired at will", not by contract, so no documentation for release from employment was generated. oO

8. On 28Jul09, RA briefed [REDACTED] closure of this investigation [REDACTED] accepted the outcome of this investigation.

9. Due to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the NAVCENT SJA's declination to pursue extradition and prosecution of(is)[REDACTED]the administrative action taken by bye. tyand) employer and the lack of evidence to support any further action or remedies, this investigation is closed.