Mel Stackpoole, 62, owner and lead instructor of Great Lakes Charter Training, has pleaded guilty to falsifying records for students seeking merchant mariner credentials, potentially endangering safety on the Great Lakes. Stackpoole admitted to providing less than the required classroom hours, instructing students to falsify application information, supplying exam answers, and altering test scores. This case is the latest in a series of federal crackdowns on mariner credential fraud, following similar incidents in Virginia and Louisiana. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Coast Guard officials emphasized that such actions undermine trust and safety in the maritime profession. Stackpoole faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing in December 2025.