WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A Killeen man and three other individuals were sentenced to prison and probation on Thursday for buying, selling, and stealing United States Army equipment that was stolen from Fort Cavazos.
"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.
"According to court documents, beginning in January 2017, Benjamin Alvarado Jr., 32, purchased thousands of military items, owned by the United States, from co-conspirators Darius Alston, Justin Wallas and Gabriel Taylor, and Kynyqus Bryant."
"The co-conspirators were U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos and had participated in at least seven thefts of U.S. government property from Fort Cavazos. Collectively, they coordinated with Alvarado throughout the scheme through telecommunications and text messages"
Investigators traced several transactions through online sellers, such as eBay, to Alvarado, who, on Aug, 9, 2021, was discovered to be selling multiple M-50 gas masks similar to what had been reported stolen.
Alvarado was also selling other miscellaneous sensitive property being transported in interstate and foreign commerce with a value of $5,000 or more.
"Executed search warrants resulted in the recovery of more than 24,000 individual items stolen from the U.S. government, including, in addition to the items previously named, weapons parts, and Level Ill and Level IV body armor — the recovered properties were valued at approximately $2.75 million," the United States Attorney's Office said.
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 or about Jan. 5, 2021, Alvarado participated in the sale and transfer of a Joint Chemical Agent Detector M4A1 to a buyer in China through an intermediary in Delaware."
Alvarado stated he had purchased 90 percent of the 24,000 items seized from Bryant and Alston.
Taylor later confessed that he had participated as the lookout in a July 2021 robbery on Fort Cavazos, while other members of the conspiracy retrieved the items. Alston stated that 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 residence 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 — following the April 2022 indictment, Alvarado forfeited the house and the car.
He 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 custody 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.
"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.
