San Angelo Police Make Three Arrests in Stolen Body Armor Case

 

Yesterday, Jan. 21, 2016, San Angelo Police made several arrests during an investigation to recover stolen body armor. The charges included Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Prohibited Weapon, said Sgt. Cade Solsbery, public information officer for SAPD.

On Wed. Jan. 20, 2016, SAPD officials took a report for a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle at Target. The victim reported he is in the military and had armor stolen from his vehicle. Through investigation, Jeffrey Munoz, 32, became a suspect in the Burglary.

Through a joint investigation involving members of the San Angelo Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, Narcotics Division, Special Operations Section, Patrol Division, and Lake Patrol Division, Munoz was located in the parking lot of Goodwill in the 4200 block of College Hills. Munoz had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and officers took him into custody without incident. Officers also found Munoz with methamphetamine in his possession.

The passenger in the vehicle was identified as Kevin Thompson, 23. He had outstanding city warrants and was taken into custody. Officers also found Thompson to be in possession of methamphetamine. In addition, officials learned both Munoz and Thompson had committed a theft while inside Goodwill.

During the investigation, police located the stolen body armor inside a residence in the 1800 block of S. Hill Street. Detectives and officers went to the residence and made contact with Frank Mayo, 50. Detectives were able to get consent to search the residence and the stolen body armor was located and recovered.

Also, during the course of the investigation, a short barrel shotgun was located and linked back to Mayo. Officials arrested him for the shotgun.

Solsbery said Mayo, Munoz and Thompson were all transported to the Tom Green County Jail. Mayo was charged with Possession of a Prohibited Weapon. Munoz was charged with a County Warrant for theft, Class C Misdemeanor Theft, and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1 Gram. Thompson was charged with City Warrants, Class C Misdemeanor Theft and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1 Gram.

Detective Matthew Hawthorne is the lead investigator for this case. Further charges may be forthcoming pending further investigation, Solsbery said.

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So body armor was stolen from a military member’s car. I’m going to go on the assumption the body armor is government property. I wonder if the thieves will get hit with a charge of stealing government property. If so, how is it a civilian who steals government property gets slammed, BUT an Air Force GS-13 civilian employee can steal government property and keep her $100+/year job and security clearance? This chick was accused of stealing government property. The Air Force police interviewed her, got a confession, and recovered the stolen property. The colonel at the base brushed that crime right under the rug. The next thing I want to know is if the colonel committed a crime by not referring the theft to the appropriate justice authorities.

Hey Jay Dee,

Haven't heard about this Air Force incident. Fill me in? More details please.

Jim,

November 2012, an email sent to 17 TRG ALL (GDF) informing the group of excess property available for reutilization, including a bulletin board. My GS-13 supervisor (the accused) laid hands on the bulletin board (perhaps 3’x6’, aluminum frame with 3 glass doors, value $500-800), moving it from the command section to her office. It was still in the box, indicating the bulletin board was never used and in new condition. Subsequently, “the accused” spoke of her plans for the bulletin board to display her younger daughter's art in the child's bedroom. She did not speak to me personally, but I overheard her conversation with a coworker. It is well known that excess government property is to be reutilized by another government entity or go to Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO). Excess government property is not intended for personal use.The bulletin board sat in her office until March 2013. On 11 March, the bulletin board was no longer in her office. She apparently remained at work on the Friday evening or returned to the office over the weekend (she has a key to the unalarmed facility). The bulletin board was too large to fit in a car and too big to be lifted or carried by one person. She would have to have used her daughter’s pickup truck or enlisted the help of her friend/employee who drives a truck. Security forces investigated. Their interview of “the accused” resulted in a confession and recovery of the stolen property.

“The accused” called an office meeting on 31 July. She read from a prepared text, stating she was falsely accused of larceny for taking a junky old bulletin board that had been destined for the dumpster. She went on to describe how her husband brought the bulletin board back on base, and it was now sitting in the security forces’ evidence room. She continued with her text, saying she was going to go after any employee who swore out a statement against her. In other words, she admitted stealing the bulletin board. Let me restate it was in new condition.

On 30 September, Mr. Tim Ori, at the time the Training Group’s GS-14 senior civilian, called me into his office. He said, “I know you’d want to know…” The investigation is over. Col (Brendan) Harris (TRG/CC) took appropriate action. To this day, I do not know what “appropriate action” means. Clearly, it includes leaving a $100K+ employee on the payroll with a security clearance.

Referring to TRG/CC Col Brendan Harris, TRG/CD Lt Col Edward Blitt, and the TRG senior civilian Mr Tim Ori collectively, I don’t understand what logic might have prevailed in their heads to apparently consider the law irrelevant and not permit the US justice system to address the accused’s theft of government property. By not referring the theft to the civilian criminal justice system, did these men in leadership positions commit a crime by NOT referring it?

A lot of people know of this theft. A lot of people also know it appears to have been swept under the rug. What knowledge does Felicia have to hang over their heads to prevent them from pursuing the law?

Finally, when Col Michael Downs took command of the base in mid-July 2015, I wrote to him. I expressed my hope that he would Security Forces, Judge Advocate, Inspector General, and Special Security Office provide him with their files for review. I also expressed my hope he would ensure justice is served for the tax-paying citizens who trust him to be a good steward of their dollars. By not introducing an alleged theft of government property by a civilian employee into the justice system, did senior Training Group leadership (all of whom have since PCS’d) commit a crime of their own covering up the initial one? He did not reply to my letter.

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