Civilian Alleges Navy Team Kidnaped and Beat Him

A civilian security officer at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station is suing the federal government for more than $6 million as a result of a 1986 incident in which he says he was kidnaped and beaten during an exercise designed to test the base’s response to a terrorist attack.

Ronald Sheridan, 51, of Los Angeles and his wife, Margaret, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Sheridan alleges that a special Navy SEAL security team kidnaped him at gunpoint from his home in Eagle Rock on March 20 and drove him to a Costa Mesa motel, where he says he was beaten and held for about 28 hours.

Sheridan’s attorney, Carl B. Pearlston Jr., said his client is a civilian and should not have been subjected to such treatment.

Navy Investigation

Base spokesman John Frye said Wednesday that the Navy will not comment on the lawsuit. He added that an internal investigation is being conducted by the Navy.

Pearlston said that Sheridan was handcuffed, had a pillowcase placed over his head, was beaten and had his head held underwater repeatedly in a toilet bowl.

“What they were doing was simulating interrogation,” he said.

The suit claims that Sheridan suffered mental and physical pain, bruises, pinched nerves and a dislocated rib.