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Show n JJULT r--3 COMKAT n I STRENGTH THROUGH LOGISTICS L3TpJ JJy) -- l page 10, Vol. 43 No. 27 Hill AFB, Utah July 14, 1989 0 am SPECIAL PHI I r--- T-i I I 2 airmen from Hill arrested for theft 2 by Gary Hatch X.. i... I W ..&& I v.sr'J- t-- i?:,tt Hilltop Times editor - :t.x l t J. : SALT LAKE CITY The theft and recovery of three 6 jet engines at Hill AFB culminated a two and one-hayear undercover investigation into a large-scal- e operation that black marketed millions of dollars worth of stolen U.S. government property. Two airmen stationed at Hill were arrested July 10 in a joint operation of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, FBI and Defense Criminal InF-1- lf vestigative Service. The two men were arrested in connection with the en- -' theft of three Pratt and Whitney gines that disappeared from the base July 3, U.S. Attorney Dee Benson said during a press conference held Tuesday at his office in Salt Lake City. In addition, 12 sealed federal grand jury indictments have already been handed down. Mr. Benson expects those 12 will be opened and served as early as the next few days. Mr. Benson said he expects to prosecute more than 100 people from Utah and some 15 communities throughout the West and Southwest. Base offi.. cials said: the figure includes about 45 1 servicemembers and three civilians from Hill. FBI agents arrested A1C Brian Roth of Chester-land- , Ohio, and SrA. Danny J. Stroud of Newton, Kansas, at a restaurant in Bountiful. AFOSI Det. 1404 agents witnessed the arrests. The men are both security specialists with the 2849th Securitv Police Sauadron and were resDon- sible for guarding the engines as part of their duties. They were charged with theft of government property and conspiracy to commit theft of governX ment property. jt Those charges may be "beefed up" in the future, Mr. Benson said. He added the two will be tried in the Salt Lake U.S. District Court because that will send a stronger message to those involved in similar illegal activities. According to Mr. Benson, "The thefts at Hill appear to be part of a larger problem involving other states and other military establishments. It's not a problem unique to Utah." Special Agent J. Michael Stoker, commander of AFOSI Det. 1404 at Hill, added that while the property taken from Hill and other bases is significant, studies have shown that theft of government property is less than the rate of thefts at privately ; owned companies. The focus off the operation was to develop prosecutable cases against wholesalers of the stolen property as well as the military and civilian Department of Defense employees who committed the thefts, said Robert M. Bryant, FBI special agent in charge of Utah, Idaho and Montana "The thing we in the federal government want to say is, if there's going to be theft of government, property, it is going to be a risky business," Special Agent Bryant said. The U.S. Attorney's office acted as legal counsel for the operation, which was code named Punchout. Another key involvement during the length of the operation was the full cooperation of the Air Force through the commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Center. "I'd just like to amplify the fact that several Air Force generals took a risk to support us, realizing t.ha fart that there mav he adverse miblicitv about the Air Force," said AFOSI Special Agent Wayne Hufnagel during the news conference. . v::r::j caving Open season closes July 31 ; U.S. Air Force Photo Similar set-u- p engine, similar to those which were taken from with its tug and trailer. An F-1- 00 Maj. Gen. James W. Hopp, Ogden ALC commander, said in a statement issued following the news conference, "I am appalled that any Hill peoin the theft of government ple were involved property. "However, we must not lose sight of the simple fact that this is a relatively small number and they s of one percent of the aprepresent about proximately 20,000 dedicated, professional military and civilian men and women who work at Hill. "More importantly, while any theft is reprehensible, the engines could not have been successfully taken off base if the persons charged with the theft . two-tenth- At the conception were surprised when the week many of you F8I end Air Force Office of Special Investigations ' announced that they had been buying stolen government property in an undercover operation tor the past two and one-hayears. I ask each of you to remember a couple of things as you talk about what has happened here. , lf First, Christ said "let he who is without sin cast the first stone' And second, the number of people of one percent. involved is less than That's nothing to be ashamed of. It says that more than 99 percent of Hill's work force are still just as two-tent- hs dedicated, professional and honest as they were last week and will be in the future. Finally, the security police at Hill are among the best I've ever seen. I'd take them to guard my life any day! Yes, there were and are a few who have violated our trust, but again, it's a small percentage g s of the security, professional, and law enforcement specialists in the squadron. Unless you're one of the guilty ones, none of us has anything to be ashamed of. Hold your head 200-plu- hard-workin- high! ff Maj. Gen. James W. Hopp Commander, Ogden ALC Hill quality ahead of schedule July 3, sits on the base flightline were not the same ones who were responsible for providing the security of those items," General Hopp said. Mr. Hufnagel said at the press conference that the three engines, worth about $2 million each, were taken off base and delivered into.the hands of undercover agents for $300,000, including a $10,000 payment on delivery. : The two airmen let it be known they wanted to sell the engines. Undercover agents then made the offer to buy. The two airmen had accomplices. V The engines were maintained by the FBI at a secure storage site off base until they were returned to Hill at 3:30 a.m. July 10. Since the time of the theft, base security proce-- ' dures have been reviewed to ensure no problems exist. "There were no problems with security, other than the two airmen who were entrusted with guarding the assets they took," Special Agent Stoker said. To all Hill AFB personnel: This Hill AFB - off the operation, under- cover agents established a storefront in Roy under the company name Military Surplus Brokers. During the next two and a half years the firm's agents purchased thousands of items of military gear stolen from all branches of the armed forces. Special Agent Bryant said the FBI has a warehouse full of stolen government property. The items recovered by the undercover agents during the investigation range from camouflage battle dress uniforms to helmets and other military items. The items were bought from servicemembers, government employees and civilians. system was Nothing as sophisticated as a weapon ' " involved. - Approximately 30-4-0 percent of the property recovered during the operation came from Hill, and all of the known stolen property bought by agents was recovered, Special Agent Bryant said. The only motive uncovered for the thefts during the investigation was greed. There was no evidence of espionage, he said. Mr. Benson said many more indictments would have been sealed and handed down by the time the investigation came to public knowledge if not for the clamor in the news media concerning the missing jet engines. Mr. Benson did not say the investigation was hampered by the media blitz but that the investigation had to be wrapped up more quickly than originally anticipated. Hill's past fills workers' present M |