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2d ago

San Diego Pilot Pleads Guilty in San Clemente Island Intrusions, Navy Truck Theft

Sentencing is set for Sept. 29, with prosecutors seeking restitution after a costly security response.

A general overview of San Clemente Island where five species, including one bird, have been delisted from the Endangered Species Act list after efforts to help their recovery by the U.S. Navy. (Andrew Bridges)
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Overview

  • Andrew Kyle White, 37, pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to one felony count of theft of government property and one misdemeanor count of illegal entry.
  • He landed his Glastar plane on the restricted San Clemente Island airstrip in October 2023 and again on April 6, 2025 without authorization.
  • During the 2025 incident he stole a Navy Ford F-150 valued at about $16,000 and rammed locked gates, causing $8,077 in damage and towing costs.
  • The breach triggered a lockdown and an overnight search that officials say consumed nearly 500 man-hours and roughly $500,000 in resources.
  • White remains in federal custody after cutting off an ankle monitor, faces up to 10 years plus six months at sentencing on Sept. 29, and agreed not to renew his pilot’s license.