Marine Charged Breast-Lift to U.S.
Aug. 14 -- — A Marine Corps lance corporal is in the military brig for illegally using a Pentagon credit card to buy herself a car, motorcycle, furniture and a breast-lift, according to the Marine Forces Reserve.
Sherry K. Pierre pleaded guilty and was convicted on June 17 of making $129,709.11 worth of illegal purchases on her government-issued charge card between May 2000 and June 2001 while assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve headquarters in New Orleans.
As punishment for her spending bender, Pierre was demoted from staff sergeant to lance corporal, fined $30,000, and sent to a Miramar, Calif., military brig on a 14-month sentence, said command spokesman Al Foucha. Her case is on appeal, and could end in Pierre being completely bounced from the military.
The cosmetically enhanced Marine's spree is just the latest — and perhaps most egregious — example of the type of abuse officials want to prevent in the federal "purchase card" program, which is intended to reduce waste.
Pentagon officials say financial abuses can happen anywhere, in the government or private sector, and that auditing techniques developed since Pierre's infractions will help prevent future misuse of the government-issued charge cards.
"Human greed is an amazing motivator for many people," said Cheryl Irwin, a Pentagon spokeswoman. "Precautions we have in place will help us eliminate those kinds of frauds that people will perpetrate."
For her part, Pierre regrets her actions, is doing her time and taking classes, says her defense counsel, Capt. Angela Wissman.
"She is very sorry, and that's one of the reasons she pleaded guilty," Wissman said. "She's taking courses in the brig in order to improve and is working hard to get back into the community."
Pierre's improper purchases included a car, motorcycle, breast-lift surgery, furniture and other household goods and a down payment on another vehicle. Many of the items were recovered by military criminal investigators in Pierre's Florida home, according to the Marine Forces Reserve.
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