From the U.S. Attorney:
Boat Owner Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Conducting Illegal Charter Operations on Chicago Waterways
CHICAGO — A boat owner has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for conducting illegal charter operations on Chicago waterways.
CHRISTOPHER MIKE GARBOWSKI used a 40-foot powerboat known as “Sea Hawk” and “Anchorman” to conduct illegal commercial charter operations on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, including an area in downtown Chicago known by boaters as “the Playpen.”
Garbowski from 2017 to 2019 charged money to charter the boat to groups of passengers, such as bachelorette parties, even though he lacked the proper boating credentials and the U.S. Coast Guard had not inspected and certified his vessel.
The Coast Guard notified Garbowski about the federal regulations on multiple occasions, including at Monroe Harbor in Chicago on Aug. 19, 2017, when Coast Guard personnel boarded the boat moments before Garbowski was set to begin a five-hour charter for eight female passengers.
As the women were walking down the dock to board the boat, Garbowski called one of them on her cell phone and told her to lie to Coast Guard personnel by pretending they were friends with Garbowski.
On multiple occasions, Garbowski both verbally and in writing falsely denied to Coast Guard officials that he was operating a commercial charter service.
Garbowski, also known as “Michael Gunnman,” 37, of Sterling Heights, Mich., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a felony charge of violating an order of the Captain of the Port.
U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin on Tuesday imposed the year-and-a-day sentence after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Neal R. Marzloff, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Central Field Office. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Chapman.
“The Coast Guard regulations are designed to ensure the safety of passengers, crew members, and other vessels and individuals in the waterways,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly violate maritime laws and regulations.”
“Mr. Garbowski’s actions demonstrated consistent disregard for Coast Guard authority and federal regulations concerning passenger vessel safety, putting his unsuspecting, and paying, customers at risk,” said SAC Marzloff.
God Damn government enforcing safety on us. How dare they. Stifling business as usual.
Rape? Murder?
Violent crime?
80% go unprosecuted.
Don’t have a licesnse for you boating business?
1 year in prison.
Our legal justice system is a FRAUD.
It’s RUN by criminals; Judges, police, and the “officers of the court” are in on the scam.
Laywers are 90% scumbags.
Well said CLM.
This was a Federal case, not one for the Cook County State’s Attorney to decide upon.
There’s alot involved to become a captain of a vessel transporting passengers.
Ask the guys that run the pontoons to transport patrons on the chain.
1 year is excessive but the guy apparently ignored past warnings and did not take advantage of the breaks he was given.
I..uhh… agree with JT.
Harshest sentence there is to mankind.
How could anyone agree to this punishment.
The guy had no criminal history and a wife at 37.
He already had the boat seized and this article written about him 4years ago, so he was on probation already for that time until the sentencing.
This is the ludacris, insane, absurd!
Our legal justice system is a FRAUD as CLM says.
JT your crazy if you feel that way.
You can agree with him, but announcing it will just inflate his ego.
I’m just guessing here, but it’s unlikely you can be adequately covered insurance-wise on commercial liability if you don’t have that license.
It’s OK if he wants to risk it for himself, but can’t make that decision for his guests.
It’s not difficult, not unlike a pilot license.
Just takes time and commitment.
Nah, it’s a psy-op.
One year?
I mean it’s not like he was luring Democrats with ‘free stuff’, taking them out 5 miles, chaining them to cinder blocks and pushing them off….
Ummm, does anybody know what they did with his boat?
D J. Why trigger Porkboy and his alternate personality Monk?
Maybe we can use your logic to dispose of all the illegals in Chiraq
There is a lot involved in MURDERING a human being, too.
Raping a woman destroys at least 1 life.
Those are just weekend trivial events in today’s judicial system which is a total bust, a fraud, a shit show.
Federal judicial system is ever WORSE !!! Comey, Clinton, Brennan, Clapper, Strok, Paige, ….. etc – they get off scott free but if you were in DC on 1/6/21 and sneezed – YEARS of prison time.
If I were an honest lawyer or a fair judge in the USA today, I would be EMBARRASSED to be associated with this scam that is obviously purposely set up to reward some and punish others. They’re not even pretending it’s fair anymore.
Lady Justice? LOL – that’s a laugh of a fraud image.
Lady Justice died long ago – and NOT a single “officer of the court” system is objecting.
They act like COVID fearful wussies…every day of their “professional” lives.
You all sicken me.
You’re SCUM for letting this faud continue.
This government does not serve its purpose of protecting and serving justice.
Poor guy, the feds should be ashamed.
Chicago is already the most dangerous city in the US.
They really made an example of how poor the justice system is.
An odd prosecution.
I notice no income tax charges.
The DoJ is jumping down this guy’s throat but ignores the many millions of illegals flooding into the country or the NGOs abetting their invasion.
Ah yes the criminal state we live in… whats new… he was just following our politicians.. ways licenses we don’t need NO papers.. illegals can be here illegally why can’t he drive w/o docs.. too? seems a bit bias to all.. ?
Here’s my question.
What was the US Coast Guard doing in Afghanistan?
Nuts! Completely nuts!
They should have been deployed on the Rio Grande turning back invaders, with force if needed!
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/82321/coast-guard-raids-afghanistan-look-raid-team-and-does
Licensing procedures are for public safety.
I suppose some of the anti- prosecution commenters think it’s ok to not have a CDL to drive an 80,000 pound truck down the highway.
Let’s fire all the Troopers and have a free for all.
Why require a commercial pilots license.
I’m spot on with my computer Flight Simulator.
Watercraft that carry people for hire must be inspected and the “Captain” must have successfully passed USCG requirements.
This guy thumbed his nose at the Coast Guard and I’m glad he got smacked.
“Licensing procedures are for public safety”
Just a reminder the Seaman’s Act enacted a couple of years after the Titanic calamity, retrofitted lifeboats on the Eastland, helping it capsize in the Chicago River, killing 900 a few feet from Clark Street.
The guy does not deserve jail time for operating a boat for hired unlicensed.
Seize it, smack him but 1 year in prison!?
Get outta here.. BULLSHIT
Harsh way too harsh WTF