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 NCIS agent John Beliveau is charged with one count of conspiracy
to commit bribery and pleaded not guilty to the charge earlier this
year.
Beliveau's attorney, Jan Ronis, told reporters on Thursday that his
client would plead guilty on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles
Times and other media outlets. A representative for Ronis did not
return calls seeking comment on Friday.
A court calendar indicates Beliveau is scheduled to change his plea
in U.S. District Court in San Diego on Tuesday. The court calendar
and documents indicate a change-of-plea hearing was requested by
prosecutors. Federal prosecutors declined to comment on the hearing.
Beliveau is accused of accepting money, travel and hotel costs for
several trips to Thailand and Indonesia, where he enjoyed the
company of prostitutes provided by Glenn Defense Marine Asia,
according to charging documents.
In return, according to the criminal complaint, Beliveau accessed
confidential NCIS files dozens of times over two years and provided
Glenn Defense Marine Asia's owner with inside information on Navy
fraud investigations into the company.
With a guilty plea, Beliveau would be the first to be convicted
among four people charged in the bribery scandal centered on U.S.
Navy contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars in maintenance
and restocking for U.S. ships in the Pacific Fleet.
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The investigation has resulted in conspiracy charges against Leonard
Glenn Francis, a Malaysian citizen and owner of Singapore-based
Glenn Defense Marine Asia, and Navy commanders Jose Luis Sanchez and
Michael Misiewicz.
The most senior officers affected by the probe so far are Vice
Admiral Ted Branch, the director of Naval Intelligence, and Rear
Admiral Bruce Loveless, the director of Intelligence Operations.
Their access to classified information was suspended last month and
they were put on temporary leave due to allegations of
"inappropriate conduct."
No charges have been filed against them. Francis, 49, who has
pleaded not guilty, is in federal custody in San Diego.
(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Christopher Wilson)
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