Home Economy Government Former Navy officer sentenced for selling stolen military gear

Former Navy officer sentenced for selling stolen military gear

By

PBN Staff

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11/22/2024

lTMEr3yY-qIcqSA6y-6v7fYdjo-LlLmdU6w-p2eAEw4o-9EcP8RiM-PVMYynWF-gceDU78f-svXubYP8-courthouse-1-1 — A FORMER U.S. Navy officer has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a conspiracy to sell stolen American military gear around the world, including Russia and China, U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha announced Thursday. / COURTESY U.S. DISTRICT COURT

PROVIDENCE – A former U.S. Navy officer has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a conspiracy to sell stolen American military gear around the world, including in Russia and China, U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha said Thursday. Richard Allen, 53, of Citrus Heights, Calif., pleaded guilty on

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PROVIDENCE – A former U.S. Navy officer has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a conspiracy to sell stolen American military gear around the world, including in Russia and China, U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha said Thursday. Richard Allen, 53, of Citrus Heights, Calif., pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, to conspiracy and six counts of money laundering for his role in the conspiracy that led to the theft of more than $850,000 worth of military gear earmarked for fellow Navy members and then sold the goods to high bidders from more than 50 countries. Rhode Island was one of the places where the stolen items were stored before being sold, Cunha said. “Sworn to serve his country, Richard Allen instead chose to serve his own shameless greed at the expense of the taxpayer and his fellow men and women in uniform,” Cunha said. “Today’s reckoning is a testament to the tenacity of our law enforcement partners and it should serve as a warning: stealing from the United States is a path to prison, not profit.” While stationed at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown-Cheatham Annex, in Williamsburg, Va., Allen used his familiarity with the base and unfettered access to warehouses to devise and execute a scheme to steal and sell $856,433 worth of Navy gear and supplies. This included working uniforms, winter gear, flame retardant shirts and pants, soft body armor, goggles, infrared flag patches, Navy SEAL Trident insignia and Small Arms Protective Insert plates, according to court documents. Allen and his co-conspirators stored the items in various locations, including in Rhode Island, and identified bulk-sale domestic and international customers for the stolen goods and arranged for delivery either in person or via commercial shipping. Payment for the stolen goods was frequently made and received via PayPal, including dozens of payments made from an account in China. Proceeds were transferred to co-conspirators' bank accounts, including Allen’s, in increments of less than $10,000, in an effort to avoid bank reporting requirements. As part of the scheme, the stolen goods were delivered to paying customers in China, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Vietnam, Ukraine, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Turkey, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Brazil, Philippines, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Uruguay, Chile, Estonia, Malta, Lithuania, Bermuda, and Canada, and conspirators assisted him in also distributing to Argentina, Luxembourg, Latvia, Belarus, Denmark and Martinique. A former Navy Petty Officer First Class, Allen served for more than 20 years in the Navy. He continued to direct the conspiracy and to receive payments after he retired from the Navy. U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. sentenced Allen to prison and three years of supervision after his release.