Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that defendant David Neal Kellerman, entered a guilty plea today to charges of concealing and retaining stolen property of the United States of a value in excess of $1,000, with the intent to convert said property to his own use, knowing that the property had been stolen, in violation of Title18, United States Code, Section 641 and conspiracy to conceal and retain that stolen property in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The stolen property that was the subject of the indictment included approximately 16,500 rounds of .357 caliber ammunition, C-4 explosives, fragmentation grenades, HE grenades, smoke grenades, blasting caps, detonation cord, and firing devices. Sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2008 at 11:00a.m.

According to documents filed with the Court, the case began on August 22, 2006 , based upon an ongoing investigation by the United States Army Criminal Investigative Division into Kellerman’s team in Afghanistan . As a result of this investigation, a command ordered inspection was conducted on Kellerman’s baggage at the United States Military base at Baghram , Afghanistan .

During the inspection firearms, munitions and explosives were found hidden in various places, such as the inside of a laminating machine; MRE bags and boxes; inside a DVD/VHS player; and inside a computer bag. Further investigation led to searches of warehouses and property owned by Kellerman which resulted in the seizure of numerous explosive devices, ammunition and weapons, including 16,550 rounds of .357 SIG ammunition which was stolen from the Federal Air Marshal Service.

Kellerman, a former Weapons Sergeant in the United States Special Forces, faces a term of up to 15 years in prison, followed by a term of five years of supervised release, and a possible $500,000 fine.

In another case, Tomoaki Iishiba, 34, a Captain in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States. In his plea agreement, Iishiba admits that he shipped firearms parts including holographic night vision firearms sights to contacts in Japan, with false information on the customs declaration forms. When sentenced on November 7, 2008, Iishiba faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and $250,000 fine.

Iishiba joined the U.S. Army in 1999. He currently is assigned at Fort Lewis as an Assistant Operations Officer. Previously Iishiba was sent to Japan as a Military Intelligence Officer who was to act as a liaison to the Japanese military and was involved in training Japanese soldiers. In the plea agreement, Iishiba admits that between 2006 and February 2008, Iishiba shipped EoTech 553 holographic night vision compatible firearm sights; EoTech 550 firearm sights; upper receivers modified for Airsoft; and
various scopes to individuals and business contacts in Japan. Iishiba had met these contacts while serving in the military in Japan. In October and December 2006, Iishiba shipped sixty of the holographic sights to a contact in Japan. Iishiba purposely mislabeled the customs form for the shipment because he knew he needed a license to ship the firearms parts to Japan.