Christopher Switzer, 39, and Mark Gillette, 37, admitted in federal court they deliberately sank their 57-foot sport-fishing charter boat, the ‘Commander,’ off the California coast to pocket an insurance payout. The pair pleaded guilty to conspiracy to destroy a vessel, capping a failed scheme that endangered lives and triggered a Coast Guard rescue operation.
On October 11, 2016, Switzer and Gillette left Mission Bay bound for Long Beach with a plan: destroy the boat and fake an accident. According to their plea agreement, they sabotaged plastic PVC piping in the engine room, pumped seawater into the hull, and punctured the vessel’s bulkhead to accelerate flooding. As the Commander began to go under, they called the U.S. Coast Guard for help, forcing emergency responders into dangerous conditions.
The helicopter rescue was launched within minutes. A Dana Point Harbor Patrol fireboat later found Switzer and Gillette clinging to the partially submerged wreck. Investigators say the men’s actions put themselves and first responders at serious risk of death or injury—a fact they acknowledged in their plea agreement.
After being pulled from the water, Switzer and Gillette lied to authorities, claiming a sudden power failure and mysterious flooding. But the boat, found adrift near Dana Point the next day, told a different story. A salvage team towed the Commander back to San Diego Bay, where forensic examination uncovered clear evidence of deliberate damage.
The two defendants pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt in San Diego. They now face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine under 18 U.S.C. § 2271. They must also reimburse the U.S. Coast Guard more than $15,000 for rescue operations.
Sentencing is set for March 6, 2017, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Anello. The case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari D. Fitzwater and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Bumatay.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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