MILITARYCORRUPTION.COM URGES PO1 JIM PRAEFKE TO RETURN TO NAVAL CUSTODY

U R G E N T

TO NCIS AND ALL NAVY PERSONNEL
IN CONUS PLUS CIVILIAN NEWS MEDIA:
MILITARYCORRUPTION.COM URGES PO1
JIM PRAEFKE TO RETURN TO NAVAL
CUSTODY - MUCH-DECORATED PETTY
OFFICER FLED BANGOR, WASH. BRIG
LAST NOVEMBER - WE ASSURE HIS
SAFETY IF HE CONTACTS FAMED
ATTORNEY AND FORMER NAVY CDR JOHN
"BULL-DOG" WELLS - PRAEFKE'S MOM
HIRES HIM TO NEGOTIATE PEACEFUL
SURRENDER - FEARS SON COULD BE
"GUNNED DOWN" BY "TRIGGER-HAPPY" COPS
IF HE CONTINUES TO ELUDE CAPTURE

A man's life hangs in the balance. Inflammatory and inaccurate APB's (all-points bulletins) from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to law enforcement agencies coast-to-coast could cause a much-decorated petty officer to be shot dead on sight.

PO1 Jim Praefke's mother, Linda James of North Port, Fla., has asked MilitaryCorruption.com to help her save her son's life. She has hired famed military defense attorney John "Bull-Dog" Wells, a retired Navy commander, to negotiate Jim Praefke's "peaceful" surrender.

The ground rules are these: Praefke must be assured he won't be arrested or gunned down by NCIS agents or civilian police once he has reached out to Wells and the Navy notified of the petty officer's intention to turn himself in.

The toll-free telephone number for attorney Wells is: 800-817-5123. His e-mail address is: johnlawesq@msn.com.

Praefke is well-trained in escape and evasion techniques. He is very intelligent. We are sure he will take the precaution of using a pay phone to contact the lawyer, not staying on the line one second longer than necessary to avoid being "tracked" in case cops illegally "tap" or monitor Bull-Dog's telephone.

We at MilitaryCorruption.com advise the NCIS and any civilian police agencies who attempt to harm Praefke after he has contacted Wells stating his desire to give himself up, we will not tolerate a "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality. You violate that stipulation at your own risk.

Since an escaped prisoner is attempting to peacefully return to custody, and we are confident Praefke wishes to do just that - we have no idea where he is hiding, and don't want to know - there is no excuse whatsoever to "execute" or injure him in any way.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

It is essential that violence be avoided and no one be killed or wounded in trying to accomplish a common goal - return of an escapee to Navy custody - an objective that the military should have in common with the editors at this web site.

NCIS USED FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION IN ESCAPE BULLETIN

Praefke has been at large since last November when he fled the Navy brig at Bangor, Wash. No force was used and no one injured in the successful escape attempt.

Sources tell MilitaryCorruption.com the 19-year Navy vet, whose clean service record includes a recent tour of duty in Afghanistan, fled Naval custody in frustration after he had been "railroaded" at court-martial last October on charges of "stealing ammunition, illegally storing explosives and making false official statements."

MCC has confirmed a "WANTED FUGITIVE" bulletin sent out by the NCIS contained false and misleading information.

For example, on "background," the document claims Praefke was a convicted child abuser. The record will show, however, while such charges were made against the PO1, they were dropped for "lack of evidence."

The report uses inflammatory language such as: "Praefke is considered armed and dangerous and likely to resist arrest." He is also described as "pro-militia, anti-law enforcement and anti-government."

You can see all the "buzz words" are there except "suspected terrorist." Probably Praefke's honorable service in Afghanistan fighting terrorists negated the NCIS engaging in that type of hyperbole.

But with a pejorative write-up like that, it's almost an invitation to NCIS agents and/or civilian cops to "open fire" on Praefke first, and "ask questions" later.

A MOTHER'S PLEA TO SAVE HER SON'S LIFE

The Navy man's mother has asked MilitaryCorruption.com to publicize her son's plight and help get word to Praefke to turn himself in.

"If Jim can be assured he won't be gunned down by trigger-happy cops, he will give himself up. I am sure of it," James told MCC.

MAJ Glenn MacDonald, USAR (Ret), editor-in-chief of MilitaryCorruption.com, said Praefke "…will of course have to face punishment for escape, but the initial charges against him should be carefully studied to see if the veteran petty officer was indeed framed."

MacDonald also said his investigators are looking into the possibility Praefke received "ineffective legal counsel," which may have led him to plead "guilty" to crimes he did not commit.

The 6' 3" 220-pound petty officer was sentenced in October 2005 to three years imprisonment after pleading guilty to "stealing ammunition, illegally storing explosives and making false officials statements."

Praefke eluded a guard on Nov. 13 while picking up food for other prisoners.

MilitaryCorruption.com is read daily at the Pentagon and at most, if not all, military installations in CONUS and overseas. We have been successful at overcoming several illegal attempts to violate our First Amendment rights by local commanders, most notably Carlisle Barracks, Pa., who have tried and failed to ban the hard-hitting web site.

MCC, whose motto is "fighting for the truth . . . exposing the corrupt," has readers in more than 100 countries of the world and has been written up on the Associated Press wire, in STARS & STRIPES, the ARMY TIMES, and in newspapers from coast-to-coast.

"We are so grateful that your hard-hitting web site has chosen to help Jim obtain justice and give his mother peace of mind that he won't be shot down in the street," said retired Marine CW2 Glen Adams of Sarasota, Fla. "You have a large audience of active duty and retired military who I am sure will join us in prayer this situation can be resolved peacefully."

A LETTER FROM PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS JIM PRAEFKE

In a first for MilitaryCorruption.com, we are publishing here - in full - a five page letter Praefke recently sent to his mother, addressed to - among others - the Secretary of the Navy and new Chief of Naval Operations.

For legal reasons, we have chosen to make a few necessary "edits" in portions of the letter referring to private individuals. Otherwise, the letter - sent from Long Beach, Calif. and postmarked Jan. 25 - is as written.

From: James T. Praefke AE1 (NAC)
To:   Secretary of the Navy
          Chief of Naval Operations
          Commander Navy Region Northeast
          Commanding Officer, Transient Personnel Unit Bangor

Subj:   BACKGROUND AND CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE ESCAPE OF AE1 (NAC) JAMES T. PRAEFKE, USN FROM NAVAL BRIG, BANGOR, WASHINGTON

1.   This information is submitted in the hope that the chain-of-command can be made aware of conflicting information, serious mistakes, and official statements made in this matter. An investigation of this [case] should be made. I do not expect you to accept this account as the true facts, but will use it to impartially seek out the facts.

2. I have served honorably in the U.S. Navy since 22 January 1987. My performance evaluations speak for themselves and should be reviewed. I proudly wear the following awards:

Navy Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation w/two bronze oak leafs
Navy Unit Commendation
Air Force Meritorious Service Unit Award w/bronze "V"
Meritorious Unit Commendation w/three bronze stars
National Defense Medal w/bronze star
Navy Good Conduct Medal w/five bronze stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terror Service Medal
Artic Service Medal
Special Operations Service Medal w/bronze star
Sea Service Medal w/3 bronze stars
NATO Medal
Expert Rifle Medal
Expert Pistol Medal
Naval Aircrewman Wings breast insignia

3. When the allegations against me were initially investigated, I was deployed with VAQ-133 to Bagram Airfield (BAF) Afghanistan. I was under the tactical control of the 33rd ASG as part of Task Force Eagle, 25th ID, performing the duties of force protection NCO. My duties on BAF included [checking] all passive defenses (bunkers, barriers, HESCO barriers, etc.), the physical perimeter of BAF; inspections of force protection equipment on loan to tenant commands; responding to incidents at BAF; and assessing the changing force protection needs of roughly 12,000 U.S. and coalition forces operating at Bagram. Outside the wire, we conducted "meet and greet" missions with local military commanders, village elders and various Afghan provincial governors. The basic mission was to keep people happy and seek out problems before they became dangers to BAF, its mission, or its forces. We would provide tours of the area. These trips outside the wire also led to the discovery of numerous caches of weapons and IED's which were properly disposed of. Humanitarian aid was also provided, as well as other "good will" gestures.

4. On 01 February 2005 I arrived back from BAF to NAS Whidbey Island. Shortly after that, NCIS placed me under arrest. NCIS and prosecutors made a big deal of the fact that I exercised my right to remain silent after initially agreeing to listen to their questions. After the first question, I realized that it was in my best interest to get some needed rest and obtain legal advice before proceeding any further. So I terminated the interview. Later in court, NCIS and prosecutors tried to insinuate that the three deep calming breaths I took following the first question meant I was trying "subliminally" express my "guilt!" So, after seven months in Afghanistan, I was taken to the brig at Bangor.

5. A review of the Article 32 hearing will reveal quite a lot about the poor quality investigation conducted by NCIS. It relied completely on ["KP" - Praefke's ex-wife's] allegations [as well as] circumstantial evidence. No effort was made to verify anything [KP] said to investigators or anything about her background. Examples include [KP's] statement that her ex-husband [name deleted by MCC] was convicted of raping her. That is false. [There is no record to back up] allegations that he abused both her and the children. NCIS never checked on any of these claims until my lead defense attorney, Gregory McCormick, asked about that during the Article 32 [proceedings.]

Background information on [KP - full name deleted by MCC]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This section of the letter is deleted because it contains much personal information about other individuals we at MilitaryCorruption.com do not wish to make public at this time.]

. . . Interesting details emerge when laid out together. [KP] was married to [SA}]approximately ten years when she decided to divorce him [making] allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse [towards] her and their children. After ten years of us being together, [KP] made similar accusations. [KP] and her mother made allegations of sexual and emotional abuse by [KP's] adopted father [name deleted by MCC] during that divorce. Her mother made allegations of child abuse by [KP's] biological father [name deleted by MCC] during that divorce. I am sure this is all merely a "coincidence."

Initial allegations of sexual abuse of [KP's] daughter [LA] were extremely vague and increased in severity over time. NCIS agent Mark Young [pressured] [LA] that they "didn't have enough" to put me in the brig unless she provided "more information" (court testimony). Allegations of domestic and sexual abuse of [KP] didn't surface until March 2005 - four months and many interviews later. The assault charges involving children [MA and TA] also [increased] over time.

[KP's] initial views of me in her own notes refer to me as a "good husband and father," but [later] became a picture of a "controlling abuser and domestic terrorist" by the end of my case. The "sex-toys" (two vibrators and five attachments presented as evidence) had [KP's] [LP's], [MA's] and/or [DA's] DNA, as well as an "unidentified male's DNA." I was conclusively ruled out as a contributor. Doesn't anyone find that worthy of investigation? What was happening while I was in Afghanistan? Should the authorities in the State of Washington be curious as to how the various DNA evidence got there? And who is this "unidentified" male?

6. Much was made of the fact that I am a firearms enthusiast, supporter of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and own books on military science. In the NCIS reports, there were comments on the following, even though no charges materialized from these attempts to "demonize" me:

A. That I had a detailed map of Bagram Airfield. As part of the base force protection team, it should be rather obvious why I would have a map of the base and surrounding area.

B. That I possessed information and a book on "destroying" airfields. I downloaded off the Internet a copy of a Rand Group study of all attacks on airfields. I had ordered a book from Amazon.com, "Total Resistance," while serving at BAF. As a force protection NCO tasked with defending the airfield, [it is not unusual that I would have such things.]

C. That I had a map of emergency response sectors of BAF. I had "authored" that very map, which had been incorporated into base emergency response plans.

D. That I possessed an "illegal" Kukri knife. I would like to know what makes that knife "illegal" since I purchased it when I was 16 years old at a gun show . . . and have used it at every Navy survival school I have attended and wore it daily while at BAF. I used it primarily to cut brush away from TASS sensors and such. A comment was made that British Gurka troops have to "draw blood" every time they "unsheaf" a Kukri. Well, I am not a Gurka and feel no need to follow this military legend.

I can't help but question the motives behind all this. Does NCIS really believe such ridiculous comments? Are they so inept in their investigative techniques that they feel the need to add colorful editorial statements instead of facts gathered during a complete and impartial investigation? Why do they allow themselves to be led to false conclusions by someone with questionable motives? Is it the possibility of [gaining] a "big conviction" to pump up their evaluations that clouded their judgment? Or is it that after the CNO (as per NCIS records copy of e-mail) was briefed on the case, it was too embarrassing to admit that their mistakes led to [such] a "knee-jerk" reaction?

7. As the logistics petty officer for my unit, it is definitely possible for me to subvert military customs. I had access to five C-17's and all pieces of cargo. However, I have no real or imagined ability to affect U.S. Customs and what they inspect at home. So I am smart enough to fool military customs. But even with access to all that cargo, I supposedly decide to "smuggle" a grenade and small arms ammunition in my "named luggage?" [Sure!]

The grenade was found on top of my things in my parachute bag, not even hidden out of plain sight? No fingerprints [were found], either. DNA evidence says it's only a three per cent chance it's me (or a 97% chance it is not!) and the type grenade is safed, which doesn't match my tape.

Of the ammunition seized and [placed] in evidence, I have no weapons that use that 5.56mm caliber. I do have two firearms that use 9mm, but I have hundreds of rounds of 9mm in my storage locker. What would be my reason to risk so much on stealing something I can [easily] purchase here in the U.S? NATO head stamped ammunition can be legally bought, for example, from checking advertisements in a copy of SHOTGUN NEWS.

8. The C-4 explosive that was in my storage locker - who had access to my storage? I and my ex-wife [KP] are the only people, to my knowledge. Why were there no fingerprints or DNA evidence taken off the C-4? The only thing they - NCIS - checked was to verify that it was "similar to C-4" (crime lab report). Where does an aviation electrician like me get C-4? My ex-wife's phone records revealed several calls to EODMU 11. Is that another "coincidence," or does she or [TA] know someone who as a bomb disposal expert would have access to military explosives? Why would [KP] be calling someone there? Why are there things that were in my storage locker that contained firearms and military gear moved to family storage locker as described in the NCIS reports? Someone had to move them, but [KP] claimed she never entered the firearms storage locker? [Then, who did?]

9. Who was responsible for the [following] false official statements on the NCIS "wanted" flyer? "Convicted sex offender . . . armed and dangerous . .. anti-law enforcement . . . militia , , , bomb-making." Where is their evidence these statements are fact? What was their motivation to place anything other than I was convicted of illegally possessing, storing, transporting munitions, making false statements and I escaped from the brig? Why would they try and create a situation that could cause any contact I have with law enforcement to become a "deadly" encounter? Is their goal to get me killed? Making false official statements is a UCMJ violation, not a [death-penalty] offense. What's their excuse for taking such actions?

10. Why did LT Jodi Bell have the commanding officer of Transient Personnel Unit, Bangor start processing me for administrative separation in order to get benefits for my ex-wife [KP] that by my understanding of regulations, she doesn't qualify for? The regs read, it is for dependents that have a spouse who is a "sexual/domestic abuser." I was not found guilty of all charges relating to that. Since I wasn't given a punitive discharge or reduction in rank by members of the court-martial, the separating authority would have to be the Secretary of the Navy, if I was to be separated solely on the basis of my conviction.

However, if they administratively separated me for other reasons, it would be a different separating authority. Is this the reason that they tried to have me separated for things that I have been found innocent of or not charged with?

Is there a reason [LT Jodi Bell] doesn't want the SECNAV to review my case? The only information they have relating to domestic abuse is at a Family Service Center where the sole source is - [KP]! Kind of one-sided and very partial, don't you think?

By labeling me a "sex offender" administratively, they were trying to change the situation and prejudice my impending transfer to Naval Brig Miramar Why was medical treatment for my severely injured knee - reinjured in a rocket attack in Afghanistan - denied me? The picture painted by LT Jodi Bell and NCIS is not accurate and should be compared to Naval Brig Bangor's staff picture of me after having observed me for over nine months. Talk to them impartially and see what they have to say.

11. In closing, I do not ask for you to blindly believe anything written above. Just give me an impartial review of the facts. There is information that was never presented to the chain-of-command that is relevant to this matter. The investigation was handled by inept, inexperienced or power-hungry personnel that need to be held accountable for their actions. We need to prevent this [type of thing] from happening again to others.

James T. Praefke

ATTENTION ALL U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL READING THIS ARTICLE. PLEASE DISSEMINATE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD AID PO1 PRAEFKE'S CASE, OR IF YOU SERVED WITH HIM IN THE PAST, PLEASE CONTACT US AT staff@militarycorruption.com AT ONCE. THANK YOU.