Four soldiers sentenced for nearly $3 million theft of military gear from Fort Cavazos

Five men were sentenced in federal court for their roles in stealing nearly $3 million worth of military equipment from Fort Cavazos, Texas. Among the group, four were active soldiers who collectively pilfered around 24,000 items over a span of several years, from 2017 to 2021. They sold the stolen military gear to Benjamin Alvarado Jr., who was later apprehended for trying to sell these items online.

Alvarado faced the harshest penalty, receiving a 10-year prison sentence along with a restitution order of nearly $2.4 million. He pleaded guilty to various charges, including conspiracy to steal government property and money laundering. His criminal activities began in January 2017, when he began purchasing military gear from the soldiers, which included gas masks, night vision devices, and body armor.

The soldiers involved in this scheme included Darius Alston, Justin Wallas, Gabriel Taylor, and Kynyqus Bryant. Alston and Wallas received 2½ years in prison, while Taylor was given five years of probation. Collectively, they owe a total of $618,750 in restitution for their parts in the thefts.

Bryant, another soldier implicated in the thefts, was sentenced to five years of probation and fined $2,000. Court records revealed that Alston and Bryant actively stole items while Taylor served as a lookout during many of the operations.

Authorities recovered over 24,000 stolen items valued at approximately $2.75 million, with an additional $100,000 worth recovered from a storage facility. Alvarado reportedly used profits from these thefts to purchase a home and a luxury sports car, both of which were forfeited to the government.