A Marine who was accused of marching with white supremacists and attacking a protester at last year’s “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, was found guilty a summary court-martial on Monday, officials told Task & Purpose.
- Lance Cpl. Vasillios Pistolis was sentenced to 28 days of confinement, reduction in rank to E-1, and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month, 1st Lt. Samir J. Glenn-Roundtree told Task & Purpose, adding that the Marine will be afforded seven days to submit a request for clemency.
- Pistolis had been charged with failure to obey an order or regulation and making a false official statement under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, T&P was informed on earlier on Monday.
- ProPublica reported in May that Pistolis is a member of a neo-Nazi group and bragged in an online chat room about attacking a woman at the Aug. 12, 2017 rally.
- Pistolis is assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion-8, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
- Two other Marines from Camp Lejeune were arrested in May 2017 for flying a white supremacist banner at a pro-confederate rally in Graham, North Carolina. Sgt. Michael Chesny was administratively separated from the Marine Corps on April 11 for taking part in “extremist activities;” and Staff Sgt. Joseph Manning was discharged on Dec. 8, 2017, Corps officials told Task & Purpose.
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