Senior writer
theblackurbantimes.com
CAMP LEJEUNEThe death of a Camp Lejeune Marine in Iraq is under investigation.
Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua, 20, of Miami, died Tuesday as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, according to a Department of Defense press release.
Lantigua was a field artillery cannoneer with 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment. He joined the Marine Corps on Oct. 29, 2007 and deployed to Iraq in October. His awards include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
CHERRY POINTBound for Brig, Marine Gives Handlers The Slip
Military and civilian authorities are searching for a Cherry Point Marine who escaped from custody Thursday morning, according to officials. Andre Angus James, who is described as a 20-year-old black male, escaped and may be with Whitney James driving a 2002 Dodge Stratus with Georgia license plates, according to police. James escaped as he was about to be put in pretrial confinement, according to Mike Barton, spokesman at Cherry Point. He would not name the crime for which James is charged. He said the escape happened as the Marine was being prepared to be sent to the Camp Lejeune brig. Barton cited an ongoing investigation in not releasing details on how the escape happened. Authorities have not released any pictures of James nor any further description.
ONSLOW COUNTYSevere weather expected this morning
Severe weather forecast for the overnight in Onslow and Carteret counties could still be in the area this morning, forecasters say.
Casey Dail, duty forecaster for the National Weather Service in Newport, said the peak window for the weather was between midnight and 6 or 7 a.m.
Dail warned that there could be "damaging winds and isolated tornados." "You could get some small hail as well, but wind and tornados are the main threats," she said
MAGISTRATE'S WOUNDS SELF INFLICTED, REPORT PHONY
Police learn truth after second call to Magistrates home
On Monday night a local Magistrate was found stabbed in her bedroom by Beulaville police after they went to check on her welfare. Today police now know that the magistrate filed a phony police report and her injuries, on both occasions, were self-inflicted and there was no home invasion or robbery. The magistrate, Catherine Rhodes, of Stanford Street in Beulaville, told police that her home had been broken into on Monday evening and that she was stabbed. Investigators with the Beulaville Police Department and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation were suspicious of Rhodes’ initial claims on Monday, but had no proof that she was not being truthful.
Rhodes was hospitalized Monday night with non-life threatening injuries and released on Wednesday. Just hours after her release from Duplin General Hospital on Wednesday, a neighbor of Rhodes' called 911 and told dispatchers that he observed Rhodes breaking out one of the front windows, a report says.
According to a statement by the district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow and Duplin counties, Dewey Hudson, "When police arrived, Rhodes told them that her home had been broken into and she had been stabbed again, but eventually broke down and admitted the truth," Hudson said. Hudson said that his office does not plan to press charges against Rhodes. Rhodes is still a magistrate, but Hudson expects she will resign. "She has not performed her duties as magistrate since Monday," Hudson said. “Finally, I would like to express that the public should not be angry with Ms. Rhodes,” Hudson said. “She is the loving mother of two children and needs your thoughts and prayers. Some personal, family issues led Rhodes to have an “apparent breakdown,” Hudson said, adding that she is “suffering from severe emotional and mental strain. This apparent breakdown could happen to you or members of your family.”“I want to ensure the people of Beulaville and Duplin County that there is no threat or danger to their safety,” Hudson said.Rhodes, a former Onslow County prosecutor, used to work for Hudson.“The Catherine Rhodes I personally observed April 1, 2009, is not the same Catherine Rhodes I know and worked with,” he said. Rhodes is currently hospitalized and under doctor’s care, he said. My sincerest prayers are with Ms. Rhodes and her family.
Alicia CruzSenior writertheblackurbantimes.com
NOTE: A magistrate is often used as a generic term for any independent judge who is capable of issuing warrants, reviewing arrests, etc. When used in this way it does not denote a judge with a particular office. Instead, it denotes a judge or judicial officer who is capable of hearing and deciding a particular matter.“It appears from all the evidence that the alleged break-ins into the residence of and the alleged assaults upon Ms. Rhodes did not occur as reported by Ms. Rhodes,” said Dewey Hudson, the district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow and Duplin counties.
CAMP LEJEUNE
MARINE PLEADS GUILTY IN ENTICEMENT CASE
A Camp LeJeune Marine plead guilty in a general court martial to charges of online enticement of a minor and received five and a half years in the brig, according to information released Thursday.
Sgt. Do
nald Ira Mundell, 27, of 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, also received a reduction in rank to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances while confined, a bad conduct discharge, sex offender registration and DNA processing.
Mundell met and chatted with what he thought was a middle school-aged girl on the Internet for the purpose of arranging sex. The “girl” was actually an undercover detective with the Pender County Sheriff’s Department in North Carolina.
Mundell was one of several men arrested during an eight-month undercover sting operation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement. Mundell previously pleaded guilty in September to similar charges brought against him by NCIS in a separate case.
HUBERT/CAMP LEJEUNE
MARINE CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING COCAINE
Winston Doctrine, 38, of Charlton Road in Hubert, was charged Wednesday by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department with two counts of trafficking, maintaining a residence for a controlled substance, and possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine. Doctrine is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marines.
He was taken into custody at his Hubert home during the execution of a search warrant by local and federal authorities and taken to the Onslow County jail. More than four ounces of powdered cocaine was seized during that search. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $12,000.
“Sheriff’s Office investigators developed information (about SSgt. Doctrine) in a joint effort with federal authorities over the last several days,” Sutherland said. SSgt. Doctrine joined the Marine Corps in February of 1999. He is a food service specialist. He is a mobilized reservist, currently serving with the Wounded Warrior Battalion East, said Capt. Leticia Reyes, a spokeswoman for the Wounded Warrior Regiment. The Marine made his first appearance Thursday morning in district court. His bond was set at $350,000.
Newport Pig Cookin’ Schedule
The 31st annual Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest kicks off tonight with opening ceremonies and entertainment at Newport Town Park. Activities continue all day Saturday, with judging in the country’s largest whole-hog pig cooking contest, entertainment and the serving of barbecue plates.
Are the marine going crazy? One escapes from police and the other is a drug trafficker? WTH is goin on with the marines?
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