Learn the unique article on Espresso or Die Journal. Observe Espresso or Die on Instagram.
An East Tennessee man who abandoned the U.S. Navy in 1976 and stole one other man’s id whereas on the lam will spend the following 25 months behind bars. And when he will get out, the Navy needs to recall him to lively obligation for some army justice.
On Monday, March 21, in Greeneville, Senior US District Decide J. Ronnie Greer additionally sentenced Jerry Leon Blankenship to a few years of supervised launch when he exits federal jail.
In keeping with federal data, an lively Navy warrant — 8804455 — seeks to attempt Blankenship at court-martial for desertion, and the U.S. lawyer stated the army plans to extradite him.
In an settlement he cast with these federal prosecutors on Aug. 24, 2021, Blankenship, 65, of Newport, agreed to plead responsible to 2 civilian expenses: misuse of a Social Safety quantity and fraud with identification paperwork.
He had confronted as much as seven years in a federal penitentiary and $500,000 in fines, though the standard sentence runs from 24 to 30 months for the 2 expenses.
All of it started to unravel for Blankenship in March of 2021, when Randy T. Clark obtained a message from Walgreens a few COVID-19 vaccination he by no means obtained. Clark supplied a detective in North Carolina the deal with the drug chain stated the person was utilizing in Newport, Tennessee.
The case was turned over to Sgt. James Knipper of the Tennessee Freeway Patrol’s Prison Investigative Division. He discovered that Blankenship had renewed his Tennessee driver’s license utilizing Clark’s id, together with his birthdate and Social Safety quantity. And it was the third time Blankenship had achieved that.
Video surveillance from the Walgreens additionally confirmed Blankenship acquired the COVID-19 shot, not Clark, though he used Clark’s id to acquire it. On Might 27, 2021, authorities arrested Blankenship and he made a full confession.
Courtroom data reveal that Blankenship walked away from the Navy after finishing boot camp. After a failed marriage within the Nineteen Eighties, he connected with a girl he known as “Cookie.” She was in a baby assist battle with Clark, and that is how Blankenship obtained his Social Safety quantity.
In keeping with courtroom paperwork, he by no means formally divorced his spouse. Cookie quickly left him and Blankenship started courting Chrystal Parker, the estranged daughter of his spouse, though Blankenship wasn’t her organic or adoptive father.
He and Parker settled in Newport and over the following 26 years raised three kids. The couple established a profitable dwelling restore enterprise. And Parker and their kids and grandchildren apparently by no means realized that Blankenship was a deserter who had stolen one other man’s id till he was arrested.
A dozen Cocke County residents wrote letters to the choose asking for leniency, together with a retired soldier and a retired Marine.
Espresso or Die Journal‘s makes an attempt to achieve Blankenship weren’t profitable. Messages left on cell telephones linked to his identify and his enterprise weren’t returned. His public protection lawyer additionally did not reply to an e-mail searching for remark.
Carl Prine got here to Espresso or Die Journal after stints at Navy Instances, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and Pittsburgh Tribune-Evaluation. He served within the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army Nationwide Guard.
© Copyright 2022 Espresso or Die Journal. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
