A U.S. Marine previously stationed at Camp Pendleton is now in federal custody, charged with stealing weapons of struggle — together with a shoulder-fired missile system — with the intent to resell them in Arizona, in line with courtroom paperwork.
Cpl. Andrew Paul Amarillas is accused of utilizing his place as an ammunition technical specialist on the Faculty of Infantry West on the San Diego base to entry and steal army property, together with a minimum of one Javelin missile system, military-grade ammunition and different weapons-related materials, between February 2022 and November 2025. Investigators say he transported the stolen weapons and ammunition to his residence state of Arizona, the place he offered them to a community of co-conspirators, who then resold the gear to others.
Authorities described the gadgets as strictly managed and harmful, posing a risk to civilians and regulation enforcement. Some however not all the stolen materials has been recovered.
“The objects of the conspiracy have been to steal property and ammunition from the U.S. army and promote stolen U.S. army property and ammunition to others to earn cash,” learn the grievance filed within the U.S. District Courtroom for the District of Arizona in March.
An lawyer for Amarillas didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, nor did officers from Camp Pendleton. The story was first reported by AZFamily in Phoenix.
The courtroom paperwork embody textual content messages despatched between Amarillas and his unnamed co-conspirators.
“Simply [got] some javs and another ones,” Amarillas wrote in August, in line with the felony grievance. “[I] have 2 launchers that [I] suppose you’d like, if you wish to have a look tomorrow.”
The textual content messages additionally included pictures, together with one in every of a Javelin missile system whose serial quantity matched one which he had signed out from the Faculty of Infantry West, courtroom paperwork present.
Javelin missile methods are moveable antitank weapons additionally designed to destroy low-flying helicopters and different fortifications. They’re manufactured completely by the Lockheed Martin and RTX Corp. for the U.S. army and can’t be legally possessed or offered to the general public except demilitarized. The Javelin recovered on this case was not demilitarized, prosecutors stated.
The case additionally includes M855A1 and M80A1 ammunition — “enhanced efficiency” rifle cartridges manufactured by Olin Winchester and restricted to U.S. authorities gross sales — in addition to M855 rifle cartridges, that are non-performance-enhanced ammunition that may typically be purchased instantly from the producer. Nevertheless, M855 ammunition made for the U.S. army is packaged in a different way and can’t be possessed by or offered to the general public.
Prosecutors say, in a single occasion, Amarillas supplied 30 cans of ammunition — about 25,000 rounds — to a co-conspirator. Over a roughly two-week interval, investigators say he stole and offered 66 cans of M855 rifle ammunition, a few third of which has been recovered. A few of the ammunition was bought from co-conspirators by undercover officers, whereas some was seized.
Amarillas “by no means obtained authorization from the U.S. army to take away Javelin missile methods and M855A1 and M855 from Camp Pendleton, transport them to Arizona, and promote them to civilians for his personal revenue,” prosecutors stated.
Amarillas pleaded not responsible to the fees in a Phoenix federal courthouse Thursday. The costs embody conspiracy to commit theft and embezzlement of presidency property and possess and promote stolen ammunition, and associated offenses.
A choose ordered Amarillas to be held in custody pending a trial, stating that he’s a flight danger and has the potential to intervene with proof and witnesses at Camp Pendleton.
