A Chief Petty Officer stationed in Virginia, serving in the US Navy, has admitted to stealing military equipment and subsequently selling it online, according to federal authorities.
Shawn Claude Crowell, a 40-year-old naval officer, has recently pleaded guilty to the theft of government property. Assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic at Naval Station Norfolk from December 2022 to September 2024, Crowell now faces up to ten years in prison for his actions.
Court documents reveal that between January and June 2023, Crowell committed theft by taking seven sets of Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses, and eight NVG battery packs. The stolen items had a combined value exceeding $160,000.
Crowell furthered his operation by utilizing online advertisements to sell all five sets of the stolen NVGs to third-party buyers, earning a total of $19,947.
In March 2023, he listed two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses, which fall under the regulation of the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations. The following month, he successfully sold the battery packs.
In May 2023, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) conducted an interview with Crowell and subsequently searched his vehicle, where they discovered one of the stolen sets of NVGs.
Crowell will potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison when he faces his sentencing in April 2025.