Maximum Sentence:
- Dishonorable Discharge
- 35 years confinement
- Total forfeiture
- Reduction to E-1
- Federal felony drug conviction
Based on a lengthy and thorough investigation by NCIS, a Marine Lance Corporal stationed at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan was charged at a general court martial in a large-scale Ecstasy distribution ring allegedly responsible for importing and distributing tens of thousands of Ecstasy pills onto MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. Before court martial defense attorney Tim Bilecki was retained on this case, the Marine gave law enforcement a confession that greatly limited our options in defending this case. Given that confession, the quantity of drugs allegedly imported and distributed, and the numerous co-accused who were lining up to testify against our client for grants of immunity, we elected to travel to MCAS Iwakuni to meet with the prosecutors and work out an alternate disposition.
Initially, the government was seeking over 5 years of confinement in return for a plea of guilty, but after demanding a fully contested trial at arraignment, we were able to get the charges reduced to Special Court-Martial and negotiate a confinement cap of only 10 months. At the sentencing hearing held at Camp Foster in Okinawa, we put on a compelling mitigation and extenuation case, and our client was only sentenced to 6 months of confinement.
Defending Service Members Globally
Wherever Duty Calls, Our Defense Follows
