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Date: 08-21-2020
Case Style:
United States of America v. Gerald Vincent Locker, Jr.
Case Number: 2:19-cr-00626-BHH
Judge: Bruce Howe Hendricks
Court: United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (Charleston County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
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Description:
Charleston, SC - The United States of America charged Gerald Vincent Locker, Jr., age 46, with conspiracy to obtain a U.S. passport by falsely claiming they were the biological parents of a baby born in the Philippines and by using false birth records to apply for a U.S. passport for the baby.
Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and Stephanie Jean Locker, 43, pleaded to one count of conspiracy and one count of making false statements in an application for passport.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy of the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
According to the court record, in 2014, Gerald Locker Jr., a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, was stationed in Japan with his dependent spouse, Stephanie Jean Locker. While in Japan, the couple attempted to circumvent legal adoption processes by asserting that a baby from the Philippines was their own natural born child. Presenting a number of falsified documents (including a false birth certificate) to a U.S. Consular Officer, Stephanie Locker applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. She falsely attested, in support of her application for a passport for the child, that while in the Philippines on vacation she learned she was pregnant five days before the baby was born. Upon learning they would have to submit to DNA testing, the Lockers ultimately abandoned the baby, leaving the child in the care of a local family in the Philippines. The child was later placed with a foster family in the Philippines.
This case was investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Secor of the District of South Carolina.
FALSE STATEMENT IN APPLICATION/USE OF PASSPORT - did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit an offense against the United States, that is, to make a false statement in an application for passport, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542.
(1)
Outcome: 08/20/2020 65 PLEA AGREEMENT as to Gerald Vincent Locker, Jr (ssam, ) (Entered: 08/20/2020)
08/20/2020 67 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Honorable Bruce Howe Hendricks: Change of Plea Hearing as to Stephanie Jean Locker, Gerald Vincent Locker, Jr held by video conference on 8/20/2020. Plea Agreements Accepted. Stephanie Jean Locker (1) Guilty Count 1,2 and Gerald Vincent Locker Jr (2) Guilty Count 1. Defendants to remain on bond with same terms and conditions. Court Reporter: Karen Martin. CJA Time: 10:00-11:12 AM. (ssam, ) (Entered: 08/20/2020)
08/20/2020 68 GUILTY PLEA ENTERED as to Gerald Vincent Locker, Jr to Count 1 of the Indictment (ssam, ) (Entered: 08/20/2020)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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