SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego man has pleaded guilty to repeatedly trespassing onto Navy property and deliberately damaging naval equipment, costing taxpayers nearly $500,000.
Andrew Kyle White, 37, admitted to illegally landing his plane on San Clemente Island twice and stealing government property. His most recent intrusion led to a dangerous 12-hour search operation.
Prosecutors say after White landed his plane on the island, which is located 78 miles off the coast of San Diego, he stole one of the Navy's trucks and drove it around for several hours. He also crashed the vehicle into multiple gates while attempting to access locked locations.
The Navy put San Clemente Island on complete lockdown while security teams searched for White. The search was particularly dangerous due to weather conditions, difficult terrain, and potential unexploded bombs in the area.
"There are places in San Clemente that have unexploded ordnance from days past when they used to train with live ordnance, so it was also a threat to himself," said Earl Wederbrook, a retired Marine Colonel who used to train pilots on the island.
"The Navy's got better things to do than go around searching for knuckleheads with unauthorized landings on Navy property," Wederbrook said.
White's first unauthorized landing occurred in 2023, resulting in a warning and a restraining order. Despite these measures, he returned to the island in April this year. Navy officials estimate his intrusion cost them nearly $500,000, all funded by American taxpayers.
"He's got to be held accountable, otherwise you invite other such incursions," Wederbrook said.
White is currently in federal custody after violating the terms of his bond by cutting off his ankle bracelet. He faces up to 10½ years in federal prison when he's sentenced in two weeks.
When I asked why White committed these acts, a representative with the U.S. Attorney's Office simply stated: "Because he wanted to."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
