Federal Government Employee at Camp Mabry in Austin Charged with Theft of over $1 Million in Military Equipment

In Austin today, a federal government employee at Camp Mabry surrendered himself to federal authorities on charges that he allegedly stole and unlawfully sold more than $1 million worth of items from the military installation in Austin, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.   

A federal criminal complaint filed today charges 35–year-old Joseph Mora with one count of theft of government property and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the U.S.  The complaint states that Mora has served as a Program Analyst at the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office warehouse since 2013.  The complaint alleges that Mora conspired to remove large quantities of sensitive military grade equipment, including rifle scopes, infrared laser aiming devices and thermal night vision goggles, from the facility without authorization.  He later sold many of the stolen items on eBay and by other means.

On Tuesday, federal agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and recovered dozens of items believed to be stolen from Camp Mabry, to include pelican cases containing aiming lights, a pallet of night vision goggles and tripods.

Upon conviction, Mora faces up to ten years in federal prison on the theft charge and up to 20 years in federal prison on the fraud charge.  He was released on a $10,000 bond following his initial appearance today in U.S. Magistrate Court in Austin.

Agents with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (Army CIC), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Texas Rangers are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Galdo and Karthik Srinivasan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.