A senior US Navy commander has been demoted after he conspired with other Navy commanders to set up illegal WiFi networks on warships to check sports scores and watch television programs.
Navy Senior Petty Officer Griselle Marrero reportedly installed a Starlink network called “STINKY” aboard the USS Manchester.
The command's senior commander installed and operated an unauthorized network during a deployment in 2023. She charged the network's $1,000 monthly cost to the Leadership Association debit card.
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According to the indictment, reviewed by Fox News Digital, Marrero lied about the network at least three times and misled superiors.
As Manchester prepared to deploy to the Western Pacific in April 2023, Marrero conspired with the ship's captain to install a secret network that was just for them and not shared with the general sailors who would be deployed without connectivity.
An internal investigation found that the Chiefs used the network to check sports scores, send texts and stream movies. Navy Times.
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Sergeant Major Grisel Marrero was demoted after being found guilty of operating an illegal WiFi network. (U.S. Pacific Fleet Naval Surface Force)
She was convicted of dereliction of duty and making false official statements to her commanding officer on May 29 and demoted from senior petty officer to petty officer first class. Prior to her trial, Naval Surface Forces Pacific (SURFPAC) quietly relieved her from her command position aboard the Manchester, according to the Navy Times.
SURFPAC spokesman Lt. Col. Arlo Abrahamson told Navy Times that other sailors have also been disciplined in connection with the unauthorized WiFi, but declined to provide further details.
The study warned that recreational use of such wireless networks could lead to serious security breaches.
“The dangers posed by such systems to crews, ships and navies cannot be underestimated.”
Prosecutors said Marrero “failed to prevent the USS Manchester from being exposed to operational security risks in the course of his duties.”
Marrero served as the network administrator and paid for the $2,800 Starlink antennas on her personal credit card. She and another chief installed them during “high altitude” hours, when missions were not recorded in the ship's logbook, according to the Navy Times.
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Navy sailors typically have extremely limited connectivity while deployed. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Todd Frantom/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
She named the network “STINKY” to sound like a wireless printer, even though there were no wireless printers on board.
When junior sailors and commanders began to notice the network's existence, Marrero denied it, and he also altered the data display image on his Starlink account to reflect low data usage, according to the report.
The Starlink antenna was discovered on August 18th of that year by a private citizen who was installing a licensed satellite communications system.
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According to the investigation, Marrero texted the crew at the time saying, “Job done.”
After being questioned, she and the other chiefs attempted to remove the plate, then told the commander that they would only use it while in port.
On Aug. 26, 2023, Marrero finally admitted to his superiors that he was behind the illegal network.
According to court records, Marrero pleaded guilty to two counts of dereliction of duty and one count of obstruction of justice.
