PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A 29-year-old specialist with the U.S. Army has been released from custody and ordered to surrender to authorities in Tennessee after being charged in connection with conspiracy to steal sensitive Army equipment.
The indictment against U.S. Army Specialist Kyle Heade of Fort Campbell, Kentucky was filed last week in Nashville, Tennessee.
Heade was arrested in Oregon by agents with the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, according to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Eric Wahlstrom.
He made his first court appearance last week in U.S. District Court in Portland. It remains unknown why Heade was in Oregon at the time of his arrest.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office in Tennessee, Heade and seven others were in a conspiracy to steal sensitive U.S. Army equipment that was ultimately sold and shipped to anonymous eBay bidders, including some located in foreign nations.
The equipment was valued at more than $1 million, according to court documents. The items sold included sniper telescopes and rifle accessories, machine gun parts and accessories, grenade launcher sights, flight helmets, communication headsets, body armor and medical supplies.
Each of the accused faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge.
Those charged in the indictment are:
• John Roberts, 26, of Clarksville, Tenn;
• Cory Wilson, aka Jason Cory Wilson, 42, of Clarksville;
• U.S. Army Sergeant Michael Barlow, 29, of Clarksville;
• U.S. Army Sergeant Jonathan Wolford, 28, of Clarksville;
• U.S. Army Specialist Kyle Heade, 29, of Fort Campbell, Kentucky;
• U.S. Army Specialist Alexander Hollibaugh, 25, of Fort Campbell;
• U.S. Army Specialist Dustin Nelson, 22, of Fort Campbell; and
• U.S. Army Specialist Aaron Warner, 24, of Fort Campbell.