Marine corporal accused of stealing and selling weapons from California's Camp Pendleton
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Cpl. Andrew Paul Amarillas, a U.S. Marine ammunition specialist at Camp Pendleton, is charged with stealing military weapons and ammunition, including a Javelin missile system, and conspiring to sell them in Arizona.
- Amarillas pleaded not guilty to multiple charges such as conspiracy to commit theft, embezzlement of government property, and possession and sale of stolen ammunition, and is being held pending trial.
- Prosecutors allege Amarillas stole weapons and ammo between February 2022 and November 2025, transported them to Arizona, and sold them to co-conspirators who then resold the items; some stolen materials have been recovered.
- Evidence includes text messages and photos showing Amarillas offering missile launchers to co-conspirators, with some ammunition purchased by undercover officers.
- The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is continuing its investigation into the theft and emphasizes its commitment to aggressively pursuing cases involving stolen military weapons and munitions.
