Man Pleads Guilty Of Illegally Entering U.S. Navy Base & Stealing Truck Worth $16,000

A 37-year-old man from San Diego has pleaded guilty to criminal charges after twice illegally landing a small plane on a U.S. Navy base, stealing a government truck, and damaging gates on San Clemente Island, causing major losses.

Federal prosecutors said Andrew Kyle White admitted to one felony count of theft of government property worth more than $1,000 and one misdemeanor count of illegal entry into a naval installation. He remains in custody after cutting off his ankle monitoring bracelet earlier this year and violating the terms of his bond.

San Clemente Island, located off Southern California, is controlled by the U.S. Navy and forms part of Naval Base Coronado. The island is closed to the public, and entry requires official permission. Court documents show White was fully aware of these rules.

The first incident occurred on October 29, 2023, when White flew a Glastar airplane to San Clemente Island and landed on a Navy airstrip without clearance. Afterward, he signed a formal notice warning him that unauthorised entry was a crime and was ordered not to return.

Despite this warning, White repeated the act on April 6, 2025, again landing the same Glastar aircraft on the restricted island. While there, he stole a white Ford F-150 truck belonging to the Navy and valued at around $16,000.

He then drove the truck across the island, forcing his way into restricted areas by ramming through locked gates. This caused about $8,077 in damage, in addition to towing costs for the vehicle.

Navy officials said the intrusion led to a full lockdown on the island, requiring nearly 500 man-hours and costing about $500,000 to U.S. taxpayers. Prosecutors said military personnel had to treat the event as a potential threat, assuming the worst because they had no knowledge of White’s intentions.

According to court filings, the search for the intruder exposed personnel to dangers from harsh terrain, severe weather, and even the risk of unexploded ordnance scattered on the island.

White is set to be sentenced on September 29 by U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for theft of government property and an additional six months for unlawful entry into a naval base.

Reference: US Department of Justice

Source: Maritime Shipping News