CG Officer Busted for Coke

Normally when we get notices from the Coast Guard about drug busts, it’s because they’ve intercepted another shipment bound for the U.S. This time, the admission had to hurt a bit: A senior officer on the Pacific Area staff has been accused of cocaine abuse, and has been temporarily reassigned to a non-supervisory position. Specifically, Capt. Michael Sullivan, who had been serving as Pacific Area’s chief of response, was charged Tuesday with wrongful use of cocaine, and obstruction of justice, under the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice. As with civilian law, the charges are accusations only at this point and Sullivan is presumed innocent until proven guilty. An investigation had been started. It will have to be completed before the date is set for a Court Martial. If found guilty of both charges, Sullivan faces a potential maximum sentence of a dismissal from the Coast Guard, 10 years confinement and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. The most ironic part of the whole story is that Sullivan supervised the cutters charged with fighting drug trafficking.