Interesting News Article Regarding SF Soldier

[FNU_LNU]

Hopefully posting in the right place, and realize the sensitivity of the issue may bar detailed discussion - but a fairly serious allegation if the facts support it:


Try again, if you don't correctly attribute the article don't bother to post it on this board. This is your only warning.

TS

[FNU_LNU]

Hopefully posting in the right place, and realize the sensitivity of the issue may bar detailed discussion - but a fairly serious allegation if the facts support it:


Try again, if you don't correctly attribute the article don't bother to post it on this board. This is your only warning.

TS

Was under the impression that the AP cite was mentioned. My apologies. I actually found the article in the Herald Tribune, but it appears the original was disseminated by the Associated Press:

Special Forces soldier accused of stealing Army weapons
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS



FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier has been indicted on 13 counts accusing him of illegally storing weapons and explosives and of attempting to import stolen arms into the United States from Afghanistan.

David Neal Kellerman, 44, of Broward County, has been in military and federal custody since August. He was initially indicted in December by a federal grand jury on seven counts related to a cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives discovered on his boat in Fort Lauderdale and in two storage facilities in Deerfield Beach and Dania Beach.

A grand jury on Tuesday added six additional counts accusing Kellerman of attempting to import firearms and explosives into the U.S. from Afghanistan where he was serving as a sergeant first class attached to the 20th Special Forces Group at Bagram Airfield.

Kellerman was first taken into military custody on Aug. 22 in Afghanistan after investigators found 32.5 pounds of C4 explosives, 11 grenades and other high-powered weapons among his belongings when he returned to base. According to an affidavit filed in the case, some of the weapons were disassembled and hidden in ordinary items.

The indictment charges that Kellerman corresponded from Afghanistan via e-mail with a person named "Mr. Monster" seeking assistance in collecting and concealing U.S. Army property, including explosives, blasting caps and ammunition. "Mr. Monster" was not identified in court filings.

Kellerman's attorney, Daniel Koleos, said Wednesday the items found on his client in Afghanistan were part of Kellerman's ordinary "combat load" and that he had planned to relinquish them to base officials but was never given an opportunity to do so.

Koleos could not immediately explain why some of the items were concealed. He also could not explain the e-mails described in the indictment, saying he had just received copies of the alleged communications this week and had not yet reviewed them.

However, Koleos said the items found on Kellerman's boat and in his storage facilities were merely "battlefield souvenirs."

"He never used them. They were being kept as keepsakes," Koleos said, adding that Kellerman has received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service overseas.

Kellerman was set to appear in federal court Thursday for arraignment on the additional counts. He pleaded not guilty in December to the initial seven counts and will re-enter a not guilty plea on Thursday, Koleos said.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment.

Link to the article HERE (http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070117/APN/701173357)

[Sinister]

The bitch of this story (if my memory serves me right -- this Alzheimer's is kicking my ass) is the guy's day job is as a Customs inspector or agent (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)!

[jasonglh]

In this article (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/16485010.htm) they report he is a federal air marshal weapons instructor.

[Eagle5US]

Actually, nowhere in the article (other than the title) does it say he is a Special Forces QUALIFIED soldier or serving in any Special Operations Forces capacity:

....accusing Kellerman of attempting to import firearms and explosives into the U.S. from Afghanistan where he was serving as a sergeant first class attached to the 20th Special Forces Group at Bagram Airfield.

This could simply be, yet another:rolleyes: , uninformed journalist getting the sensationalistic headline to pull readers. This may be no different than the 80's and early 90's when we had dozens of "Special Forces Private Tentpeg robbed the corner store, raped the owners pets, and stole the rims off the customer's tricycle" when in fact it was a SPT private who was simply assigned to GP and wore the green hat (as they all did).

The guy is at the airfield-he may simply be their movement NCO, PLL clerk, loadmaster liasion, or any other number of support MOS's.

Serious allegations? Sure they are. But read and be certain before you characterize (and credit) this stupidity to our community.

Eagle

[82ndtrooper]

I'd rather not read it. I became a member of this board/forum to learn from the real professionals. To share some humor, and learn some more. This adds nothing to PS.COM

[Team Sergeant]

Miami Herald
March 25, 2007
Pg. 1
Green Beret Now Under Arrest Claims Life Of Secret Intrigue
Was a decorated Broward soldier with the Special Forces trying to smuggle weapons out of Afghanistan or just doing his job?

By Trenton Daniel
The Taliban of Afghanistan. Pirates off Somalia. Neo-Nazis in West Virginia.
They all figure into the story of David Kellerman, a Green Beret from Fort Lauderdale accused of trying to smuggle high-powered weapons, ammunition and explosives out of Afghanistan and stockpiling more of them in Broward County.

With a trial scheduled for May, the case may turn on whether jurors believe that Kellerman, 44, a decorated soldier with the U.S. Army Special Forces and a federal air marshal, was handling those weapons for the U.S. government or setting up his own business as a security contractor.

''Is he a turncoat?'' said his attorney Daniel Koleos. ``They think that he was going to do his own private military contracting, that he was stockpiling the stuff.''

Trading his fatigues for olive green prison garb, Kellerman has been held at the federal detention center in downtown Miami since his arrest last October.

Before that, Kellerman lived a busy, cinematic life of top-secret missions and high-seas adventures.
He said he went to work for the FBI with orders to infiltrate the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi group, in 2000 and relay intelligence. The group's founder wrote a book that is widely believed to have inspired the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said she couldn't comment on Kellerman's claim.
Years of service
At that point, Kellerman had about 20 years of military service, including time as a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army Special Forces, and was running his own security firms, Special Ops Associates and Maritime Security. He says his training helped ocean researchers from the University of Miami and other schools fend off a pirate attack off Somalia in 2001.

http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/52270.html

[FNU_LNU]

Didn't mean to stir up the pot when I first posted this article and it certainly wasn't my intention to disparage SF. The charges seemed pretty serious I wanted to see what, if any, comments the members here had to offer. I've been trying to keep track of the case but can't find any info either confirming or denying the fellow actually having completed the course but he's certainly holding himself out as SF.

[plato]

Among the things that Old FOGies do more slowly than some is reading;)

Anyone else notice that the AP wire says he was "attached" to the Group. Looks like the Miami Herald missed that and decided he was "True SF".

[Eagle5US]

and he comes up as claiming 20th SFG(A) as anticipated. Along with a WHOLE bunch of other stuff he has put out with maritime and piracy stuff.

David N. Kellerman. Capt. USMS
Special Ops Maritime Security Agency
1500 SE 3rd Court Suite 103
Deerfield Beach Florida 33441
Tel: 954.426.9377

Eagle

[The Reaper]

Perhaps one of our FAM associates from South Florida knows him.

TR

[Matsonian]

Any one hear anything on this guy?

[Roguish Lawyer]

According to the Bureau of Prisons website, Mr. Kellerman is still in the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida.

[Remington Raidr]

According to the Bureau of Prisons website, Mr. Kellerman is still in the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida.

Case Summary
0:06-cr-60352-WJZ USA v. Kellerman
Date filed: 12/13/2006

David Neal Kellerman (1)
Office: Ft. Lauderdale Filed: 12/13/2006
County: Broward Terminated: Reopened:
Magistrate Case: 0:06-mj-06348-LSS

Count: 1 Citation: 18:641.F Offense Level: 4
18:641.F THEFT OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
Count: 2 Citation: 18:922J.F Offense Level: 4
18:922J.F POSSESSION OF STOLEN AMMUNITION
Count: 3-4 Citation: 18:842J.F Offense Level: 4
18:842J.F IMPROPER STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVES
Count: 5 Citation: 18:922O.F Offense Level: 4
18:922O.F UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MACHINE GUNS
Count: 6 Citation: 26:5861D.F Offense Level: 4
26:5861D.F POSSESSION OF UNREGISTERED FIREARM (SILENCER)
Count: 7 Citation: 26:5861I.F Offense Level: 4
26:5861I.F POSSESSION OF FIREARM (SILENCER) W/OUT SERIAL NUMBER
Count: 10s Citation: 18:842I.F Offense Level: 4
SHIP/TRANSPORT EXPLOSIVES INTERSTATE
Count: 11s Citation: 18:844K.F Offense Level: 4
STEALING EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS PART OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE
Count: 12s Citation: 18:641.M Offense Level: 3
THEFT/EMBEZZLEMENT OF U. S. PROPERTY
Count: 13s Citation: 18:371.F Offense Level: 4
CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES
Count: 1s Citation: 18:641.M Offense Level: 3
THEFT/EMBEZZLEMENT OF U. S. PROPERTY
Count: 2s Citation: 18:922J.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE STOLEN FIREARMS
Count: 3s-4s Citation: 18:842J.M Offense Level: 3
STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Count: 5s Citation: 18:922V.F Offense Level: 4
MANUFACTURE, TRANSFER, POSSESS SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPON
Count: 6s Citation: 26:5861D.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVED FIREARM NOT REGISTERED
Count: 7s Citation: 26:5861I.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE FIREARM W/OUT SERIAL NUMBER
Count: 8s Citation: 18:922A.F Offense Level: 4
IMPORTING/MANUFACTURING FIREARMS
Count: 9s Citation: 18:922J.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE STOLEN FIREARMS
Count: 10ss Citation: 18:842A.F Offense Level: 4
IMPORTING EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
Count: 11ss Citation: 18:844H.F Offense Level: 4
EXPLOSIVES USED IN COMMISSION OF FELONY
Count: 12ss-14ss Citation: 18:641.M Offense Level: 3
THEFT/EMBEZZLEMENT OF U. S. PROPERTY
Count: 1ss Citation: 18:641.M Offense Level: 3
THEFT/EMBEZZLEMENT OF U. S. PROPERTY
Count: 2ss Citation: 18:922J.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE STOLEN FIREARMS
Count: 3ss-4ss Citation: 18:842J.M Offense Level: 3
STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Count: 5ss Citation: 18:922O.F Offense Level: 4
VIOLENT CRIME/DRUGS/MACHINE GUN
Count: 6ss Citation: 26:5861D.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVED FIREARM NOT REGISTERED
Count: 7ss Citation: 26:5861I.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE FIREARM W/OUT SERIAL NUMBER
Count: 8ss Citation: 18:922L.F Offense Level: 4
ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF FIREARMS
Count: 9ss Citation: 18:922J.F Offense Level: 4
RECEIVE STOLEN FIREARMS
Def Custody Status: Custody This Court
Flag: LSS

Defendant David Neal Kellerman represented by Daniel Joseph Koleos (Designation Retained) Phone: 954-474-9929
Fax: 474-9959
Email: djk@krmpa.com

Plaintiff USA represented by Michael Garrett Walleisa Phone: 954-356-7255
Fax: 954-356-7336
Email: michael.walleisa@usdoj.gov

[blue02hd]

Personally, I don't see what the problem is,,,

"Kellerman's attorney, Daniel Koleos, said Wednesday the items found on his client in Afghanistan were part of Kellerman's ordinary "combat load""

Not sure how it is in other groups, but 35 pounds of C-4 was part of our EnE kit in 3rd Grp. :lifter

Other than that brilliant remark, this is not a QP, but most likely a poser. I have more concern for an Olathe Kansas SWAT member whose daughter was abducted last saturday night.

Lets hope this Kansas family can pull through that tradegy and let Mr. Kellerman exercise his resistance techniques by himself.

[Shar]

I have more concern for an Olathe Kansas SWAT member whose daughter was abducted last saturday night.

Lets hope this Kansas family can pull through that tradegy and let Mr. Kellerman exercise his resistance techniques by himself.

Yeah, that whole story scares the crap out of me. Makes my head and heart hurt in a million different ways. One quote from that really sticks with me though -

"He doesn't know what he's in for," she [Kelsey's sister Stevie Hockersmith] said. "Honestly, she'll raise all hell, and she won't stop. Kelsey won't stop until her body makes her stop basically, until she just can't go on anymore."

If, God forbid, something like this ever happened to my daughter I really want to be able to know the same thing about her. I want to know she's a fighter.

RIP Kelsey. She clearly made her family extremely proud.

[CoLawman]

Other than that brilliant remark, this is not a QP, but most likely a poser. I have more concern for an Olathe Kansas SWAT member whose daughter was abducted last saturday night.

Lets hope this Kansas family can pull through that tradegy and let Mr. Kellerman exercise his resistance techniques by himself.

It appears that this young child has been located. May she rest in peace. I can only imagine the horror this family is living. I am confident that the involved authorities will catch this monster, albeit little consolation at this point. Sorry about the hijack, but I am with Blue. Tragedies that befall the families of the "Sheepdogs" marginalize stories regarding someone who does not represent the norm of the Quiet Professionals.

[Matsonian]

Thanks, for the info.