Military

Reconnaissance Marine Faces Court-Martial for Stealing Grenades, Ammo

June 7, 2021James R. Webb
marine stolen ammo grenade

US Army photo by Sgt. Daniel Cole, courtesy of DVIDS.

A Marine sergeant from 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in Camp Pendleton, California, will face a general court-martial in July, and a corporal might face federal charges after a Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation and federal sting discovered weapons and ammunition missing from a base range.


According to documents The San Diego Union-Tribune obtained, Cpl. Jason Peters of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion allegedly tried to sell ammunition from the Camp Pendleton range earlier in the year. Thinking he was selling to civilians, Peters instead allegedly tried to sell the ammunition to federal agents.


Teams from the Los Angeles police and explosive ordnance disposal unit raided Peters’ girlfriend’s Los Angeles apartment. Officers found multiple weapons, suspected government ammunition, and other “unspecified government property.”


marine grenade ammo
Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a live-fire exercise on the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, April 13, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicholas Guevara, courtesy of DVIDS.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the stolen items included a yellow smoke grenade, a sealed “green” ammo can with 1,000 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition, an AR-15-style rifle, and several high-capacity magazines. Maj. Kendra Motz, a spokesperson for the 1st Marine Division, told The San Diego Union-Tribune that federal authorities are handling Peters’ case outside of the military justice system. Peters has yet to be charged.


Sgt. Gunnar Naughton, also of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, will face a general court-martial at Camp Pendleton in July. Naughton supervised the range where ammunition and other items were allegedly stolen.


According to the charge sheet The San Diego Union-Tribune obtained, once alerted that Peters was under investigation by NCIS, Naughton attempted to cover up his involvement in the incident. This included allegedly dumping thousands of rounds in a Fallbrook, California, ravine and instructing a Navy petty officer to delete incriminating WhatsApp and Signal messages.


Naughton has been charged with dereliction of duty, two counts of obstructing justice, two counts relating to the possession of explosives, and one count of improperly disposing of military property. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, Naughton allegedly dumped three grenades and more than 12,000 rounds of ammunition into the ravine.


marine grenade
US Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dayan Morin, left, throws an M67 fragmentation grenade on a training range at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, May 26, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty, courtesy of DVIDS.

In March, ABC 10News first reported on the investigation into the disappearance of weapons and ammunition from the Camp Pendleton range. At the time, the outlet said that at least five Marines from the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion were suspected of involvement and were under investigation. 


As of Friday, seven Marines and a sailor are being investigated in connection to the theft, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. While there are no reports of additional Marines or sailors facing charges, investigators have cleared one Marine of wrongdoing.


Beth Payton-O’Brian, a lawyer representing the cleared Marine, Staff Sgt. Alexander Czub, told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the Marines had dismissed obstruction charges against her client. Czub had rented a trailer on his Fallbrook property to Naughton. It was on this property that Naughton — and a now unidentified man previously thought to have been Czub — allegedly dumped the stolen government material. 


“[Since] my client is the homeowner or the landowner, the investigators just made the conclusion that he must be involved because he owns the land,” Payton-O’Brian told ABC 10News in March.


Naughton’s attorney is Phillip Stackhouse, who represents several high-profile military defendants, including Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher. Naughton’s court-martial is slated to begin on July 2.


Read Next: How the Pentagon Plans To Combat Extremism in the Military



James R. Webb
James R. Webb

James Webb served as a US Marine infantryman from 2005 to 2010, completing a combat tour in Iraq. He’s worked as a freelance writer and photojournalist covering US troops in Afghanistan, and Webb spent more than two years in the US Senate as a military legislative assistant and as the personal representative of a member on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved