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Naval Commander Jailed for 13+ Years for Sick Child Abuse Material, Espionage
Jacksonville, Florida – In a disturbing case of betrayal, Naval Commander Gregory Edward McLean (40, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material and 10 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
McLean entered a guilty plea on December 6, 2023. The charges stem from an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Rhode Island State Police.
According to court documents, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the Executive Officer of a ship stationed aboard a Naval Station Mayport in Florida.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
The forensic review also identified a flash drive – which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter – that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the Secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the Confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a Top-Secret security clearance.
“Protecting our children from abuse and safeguarding our national security interests are of paramount importance to my office,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The cooperation and diligent investigation by our law enforcement partners in this case ensured that both of those priorities were upheld through the successful federal prosecution of this case.”
“The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is dedicated to combatting the exploitation of the vulnerable members of our community and protecting the integrity of classified national security information,” said Special Agent in Charge Barbara Jackson, NCIS Southeast Field Office. “This sentencing serves as an example that such behavior will not be tolerated within the Navy ranks.”
“Gregory McLean’s retention of classified national defense information documents in an unauthorized location posed a significant risk to our country and military,” said Coult Markovsky, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Let this sentence serve as a pledge to all Americans that the FBI and our partners will doggedly pursue those who exploit their position of trust and risk our national security.”
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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