Grand jury indicts three in Nellis AFB ammunition theft
An airman and two other people were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday in the alleged theft and illegal sale of military ammunition and equipment from Nellis Air Force Base.
Among the items alleged to have been stolen by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Owens were several hundred rounds of .50 caliber armor-piercing ammunition. Owens is the combat arms training manager for the 58th Rescue Squadron at Nellis, according to prosecutors.
The elite squadron supplies the skilled forces who travel the world from Nellis-based helicopters to rescue downed servicemen in combat conditions.
Owens, 25, was charged with one felony count of theft of government property. The indictment alleges he stole $97,000 worth of ammunition and equipment between Aug. 1 and Nov. 18.
Another defendant, Daniel Schwartz, who owns Zen Vapors at 10430 S. Decatur Blvd., was charged with one count of retaining stolen property of the United States and one count of unauthorized sale of property of the United States.
Schwartz sold an undercover federal agent 2,000 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and two smoke grenades stolen from the Air Force base, a criminal complaint alleges.
The third defendant, Temogen Noguni, 36, who worked at Zen Vapors, was charged with two counts of unauthorized sale of property of the United States.
Noguni sold 80 rounds of the armor-piercing ammunition to an undercover agent and another 240 rounds of the ammunition with night vision goggles, according to the complaint.
All three defendants have been summoned to federal court for arraignment on the charges Dec. 16.
The undercover investigation was conducted by the Air Force’s special investigations office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ
