HAGATNA, Guam — A Guam Army National Guard staff sergeant has signed a plea agreement as part of an investigation into recruitment fraud within the National Guard.
By signing the agreement, Denille Calvo has admitted to theft of government property, reported The Pacific Daily News Tuesday.
Court documents state that Calvo allegedly took credit, and bonus payments, for recruiting guard members who actually had been recruited through a military recruiter. Calvo and the recruiter allegedly shared $14,000 in bonus payments.
The agreement states that Calvo served as a specialist with the Guam Army National Guard from June 2010 to August 2011. During that time, Calvo reportedly schemed with a recruiter, who agreed to give her information about eight potential soldiers.
According to the plea agreement, Calvo then allegedly claimed that she, rather than the recruiter, was responsible for referring the potential soldiers to join the U.S. Army National Guard.
In April, the Guam National Guard announced it would investigate recruitment bonus fraud related to its National Guard’s Recruiting Assistance Program, which operated from 2005 to 2012 and paid referral bonuses to National Guardsmen for recruiting others into the National Guard. The program was shut down in 2012 after audits revealed potential fraud.
Calvo is the third Guam military member to be accused of fraud related to the bonus program.
John Carbullido, a guardsman, and Charlene Apatang-Blas, a retired Army reservist, were charged with theft of government property and aggravated identity theft in late April. Court records state that they are both still facing charges.
At the time of their indictment, The National Guard said more indictments were expected.