Roger Martin, 47, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, is off the hook for prison time—but not accountability—after pleading guilty to a string of phony mayday calls that sent the U.S. Coast Guard scrambling across Cape Cod Canal. The former Bristol County Sheriff’s dispatcher was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston to one year of probation and ordered to pay $7,182 in restitution for the cost of the false alarms.
Martin made three separate distress calls, each time claiming his boat was sinking in the canal. He didn’t have a boat. He didn’t even have an emergency. But he did have details—names, addresses, and one victim’s full date of birth, stolen through unauthorized access to a law enforcement database during his tenure as a dispatcher. He impersonated a Fairhaven resident on the radio, painting a convincing picture of a mariner in peril.
The U.S. Coast Guard didn’t take chances. Each call triggered real-world emergency responses—crews mobilized, vessels deployed, and local police launched searches to confirm the distress. All for nothing. No boat. No sinking. Just a hoax fabricated by a man who once had a duty to uphold the law, not exploit it.
Martin’s access to sensitive data turned a prank into a federal crime. By using a law enforcement database to fuel his deception, he crossed the line into identity fraud—a charge he also pleaded guilty to alongside three counts of transmitting false distress messages. The breach underscores a deeper rot: when public servants weaponize their access, the public pays the price.
U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Richard Cox of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael Myers announced the outcome. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Giselle J. Joffre, who pushed for accountability without prison time—a decision that may spare Martin jail but leaves a stain on his record and the town he once served.
Judge Richard G. Stearns handed down the sentence with a clear message: false distress calls are no joke. They drain taxpayer resources, endanger first responders, and erode trust in emergency systems. Martin walks free—but not unscathed. The Coast Guard now has its restitution. And the public has its warning.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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