Press Release
FORMER WEAPONS SERGEANT PLEADS GUILTY TO THEFT OF GOVERNMENT MUNITIONS
July 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Christopher K. Amato, Special Agent in Charge, Pentagon Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Amie Tanchak, Resident Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, James E. Bauer, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today that defendant David Neal Kellerman, entered a guilty plea today to charges of concealing and retaining stolen property of the United States of a value in excess of $1,000, with the intent to convert said property to his own use, knowing that the property had been stolen, in violation of Title18, United States Code, Section 641 and conspiracy to conceal and retain that stolen property in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The stolen property that was the subject of the indictment included approximately 16,500 rounds of .357 caliber ammunition, C-4 explosives, fragmentation grenades, HE grenades, smoke grenades, blasting caps, detonation cord, and firing devices. Sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2008 at 11:00a.m.
According to documents filed with the Court, the case began on August 22, 2006, based upon an ongoing investigation by the United States Army Criminal Investigative Division into Kellerman’s team in Afghanistan. As a result of this investigation, a command ordered inspection was conducted on Kellerman’s baggage at the United States Military base at Baghram, Afghanistan. During the inspection firearms, munitions and explosives were found hidden in various places, such as the inside of a laminating machine; MRE bags and boxes; inside a DVD/VHS player; and inside a computer bag. Further investigation led to searches of warehouses and property owned by Kellerman which resulted in the seizure of numerous explosive devices, ammunition and weapons, including 16,550 rounds of .357 SIG ammunition which was stolen from the Federal Air Marshal Service.
Kellerman, a former Weapons Sergeant in the United States Special Forces, faces a term of up to 15 years in prison, followed by a term of five years of supervised release, and a possible $500,000 fine.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division and the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corp. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Walleisa.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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