A former U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class, Richard Allen, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a conspiracy to steal over $850,000 worth of military gear intended for Navy members. The goods were sold to high bidders from more than 50 countries, including China and Russia, as announced by United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Allen, aged 53 and residing in Citrus Heights, California, was sentenced by Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in the U.S. District Court in Providence, Rhode Island. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term after pleading guilty on August 29, 2024, to conspiracy and six counts of money laundering.
“Sworn to serve his country, Richard Allen instead chose to serve his own shameless greed at the expense of the taxpayer and his fellow men and women in uniform,” stated U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Special Agent Michael T. Wiest of the NCIS Northeast Field Office remarked that Allen “betrayed his oath to the Navy and defrauded the American taxpayer” by engaging in an illegal scheme for personal financial gain.
Patrick J. Hegarty from the DCIS Northeast Field Office emphasized that “profiting from the sale of stolen DoD property betrays the public's trust.”
Homeland Security Investigations' Special Agent Michael J. Krol commented on Allen’s actions as driven by greed that endangered national security.
Court documents revealed that while stationed at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown-Cheatham Annex in Virginia, Allen exploited his access to execute a scheme involving stolen military gear like uniforms and body armor. These items were stored across various locations including Rhode Island.
The stolen goods reached customers globally with payments often processed via PayPal accounts linked to China among other countries.
James Guanci from the Department of Commerce highlighted accountability saying: “Richard Allen decided to steal from the United States Navy...Today he was held accountable for his actions.”
Jodi Cohen from FBI Boston Division underscored that “Americans – especially those who have served – deserve public employees who do their jobs honestly.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Paul F. Daly Jr., prosecuted this case which involved multiple investigative agencies including NCIS-Northeast Field Office; DCIS-Northeast Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations; Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement-Boston Field Office; and FBI.