Indianapolis – Two men are facing federal charges for their role in stealing Humvee vehicles that were meant to be destroyed and sold for scrap in Indiana.
Richard S. Treloar, 63, St. Louis, Missouri, faces seven counts of conversion of government property and seven counts of false statements. Co-defendant Mark W. Collier, 52, Bedford, Indiana, faces seven counts of false statements.
According to the indictment, Treloar owned a St. Louis based company called Treloar Enterprises International, Inc., (TEI) which contracted with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to demilitarize military vehicles. The Humvees were meant to be demilitarized and destroyed, but Treloar allegedly stole at least seven fully armored Humvees and sold or attempted to sell them for his own benefit.
The value of the Humvees was over $589,000. The indictment alleges that Treloar and Collier certified that each and every Humvee was demilitarized, when in fact they were not.
The case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General-Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and Defense Logistics Agency-Office of the Inspector General.
“Theft, waste, fraud and abuse of government funds and equipment is never acceptable,” said United States Attorney Josh Minkler. “When it involves stealing from our military, it is a particularly egregious offense and those responsible will be held accountable.”
Assistant United States Attorney Bradley P. Shepard, who is prosecuting this case for the government, said Treloar faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of conversion of government property, and Collier faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on each count of false statements.
Treloar’s company, Treloar Enterprises International, Inc., contracted with the Defense Logistics Agency to demilitarize military vehicles, mostly High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles commonly known as Humvees. The Humvee is a four-wheel drive military light truck capable of being outfitted with armor, ballistic glass and high-powered weapons and is currently being used in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters.
Treloar’s company was responsible for demilitarizing the Humvees, which included eliminating the functional capabilities and inherent design features of the vehicles. In many cases, that included the total destruction of the Humvee.
Treloar took delivery of the Humvees from Naval Support Activity Crane, which is located in Southern Indiana, from January 2014, through November 2015. To facilitate the contract, TEI opened a facility in nearby Spencer, Indiana, where the purported demilitarization took place.
This case demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prosecuting complex, large-scale fraud schemes, particularly those that exploit military programs.
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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