Killeen man, former soldiers sentenced for buying, storing, selling stolen U.S. Army equipment

WACO, Texas - A Killeen man was sentenced in federal court in Waco on March 27 for buying and selling U.S. Army equipment that had been stolen by four soldiers, according to the U.S. attorney's office. The four soldiers were also sentenced.

Court documents show the theft conspiracy began in January 2017 when 32-year-old Benjamin Alvarado Jr. bought thousands of military items from U.S. Army soldiers who were stationed at Fort Cavazos. The equipment was owned by the United States. The documents say the soldiers, Darius Alson, Justin Wallas, Gabriel Taylor and Kynyqus Bryant participated in at least seven thefts of government property from Fort Cavazos. 

The Investigation

By the numbers:

Investigators with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID) traced several transactions through online sellers, such as eBay, to Alvarado. In one instance, he was selling multiple M-50 gas masks similar to what had been reported stolen from Fort Cavazos. 

Alvarado was also selling filters for the masks, night vision device image intensifier tubes, Litefighter tents, and other miscellaneous sensitive property domestically and internationally. Those items had a value of $5,000 or more.

More than 24,000 items were recovered during search warrants. Some of the items include weapons parts, and Level III and Level IV body armor. 

Those items were valued at approximately $2.75 million. Another search warrant led to the recovery of another $100,000 worth of military property at a Killeen storage building. 

The investigation also revealed that on Jan. 5, 2021, Alvarado sold and delivered a Joint Chemical Agent Detector M4A1 to a buyer in China through an intermediary in Delaware, court documents show.

Alvarado said he had purchased 90% of the 24,000 items seized from Bryant and Alston, who were assigned to the 553rd Combat Service Support Battalion. 

Taylor later confessed that he had participated as the lookout in a July 2021 robbery at Fort Cavazos, while other members of the conspiracy retrieved the items. 

Alston said he had conducted seven or eight theft operations with Bryant and the others, also as a lookout.

On Sept. 3, 2019, Alvarado transferred a cashier’s check for $52,890.55 to a title company for a home in Killeen. On July 7, 2021, Alvarado transferred a personal check for $50,000 to a licensed automobile dealer for the purchase of a 2013 McLaren MP4. 

After the April 2022 indictment, Alvarado forfeited the house and the car.

Sentencing

Alvarado pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2023 to one count of theft of government property conspiracy, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, two counts of money laundering, and one count of smuggling goods from the United States.  On March 26, Alvarado was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.

Alston, Wallas and Taylor were also sentenced with Alvarado. Alston and Wallas were each sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Taylor was sentenced to five years of probation. Bryant was sentenced to five years of probation and incurred a $2,000 fine on March 24.

In addition to their sentences, Alston, Wallas, Taylor, and Bryant were ordered to pay $618,750 in restitution. Alvarado was ordered to pay a restitution of $2,367,780.12.

What they're saying:

"Alvarado and his co-conspirators engaged in a massive scheme to steal, store and sell millions of dollars’ worth of U.S. military equipment—not only taking advantage of our government but placing personal profit over national security and military readiness," said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. "Thank you to all the federal law enforcement agencies involved for provided their individual specialized investigative skills to this case and reinforcing the fact that criminals who engage in this illicit reckless behavior will be caught and prosecuted."

"We traced Alvarado’s sales and profits, which helped lead the team to seize assets like his real estate, his bank accounts and his McLaren. There are no sports cars and lavish lifestyles for Alvarado in prison," said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. "The moment he left a money trail, it sealed his fate. As the law enforcement division of the IRS, we follow the money to bring criminals to justice."

"These sentencings are a result of a highly successful joint investigative effort by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our investigative partners" said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch of the Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office.  "Ensuring the integrity of DoD supply chains, safeguarding taxpayer investments and, most importantly, protecting the warfighter are top priorities for DCIS."

"This case highlights the partnership and commitment between Homeland Security Investigations and Army CID in securing the Homeland by targeting malicious actors stealing and exporting sensitive military equipment," said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. "HSI, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle criminal networks that threaten the country’s national security."