A U.S. Marine Corps corporal serving as an ammunition specialist at California’s Camp Pendleton has been federally charged with stealing military weapons and ammunition, including a shoulder-fired missile system. The accused Marine allegedly conspired to sell these stolen materials in Arizona, according to court documents.

Federal Charges Filed Against Marine Corporal

Cpl. Andrew Paul Amarillas entered a plea of not guilty last Thursday in Phoenix. The charges he faces include conspiracy to commit theft, embezzlement of government property, and the possession and sale of stolen ammunition.

Following the arraignment, a judge ordered that Amarillas be held in custody while awaiting trial. The charges stem from activities prosecutors allege occurred over several years.

Scope of Alleged Theft and Embezzlement

Federal prosecutors assert that Amarillas utilized his position at the School of Infantry West to commit the thefts. The alleged timeframe for these illicit activities spans from February 2022 through November 2025.

The stolen inventory reportedly includes at least one Javelin missile system, thousands of rounds of military-grade ammunition, and other weapons-related supplies. Amarillas is accused of transporting this material out of California to his home state of Arizona.

Conspiracy and Black Market Sales

In Arizona, the stolen equipment was allegedly sold to unnamed co-conspirators. These individuals then reportedly resold the military property to further parties. Authorities have managed to recover some, but not all, of the missing weapons and ammunition.

Evidence presented in court documents includes text messages between Amarillas and a co-conspirator. One message from August stated, “I have 2 launchers that think you’d like, if you want to take a look tomorrow.”

Furthermore, accompanying photos included an image of a portable Javelin missile system. The serial number on that system matched one that Amarillas had officially signed out from the base near San Diego.

Official Statements on Investigation

The criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for Arizona explicitly stated the conspiracy's objective: “The objects of the conspiracy were to steal property and ammunition from the U.S. military and sell stolen U.S. military property and ammunition to others to earn money.”

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) declined to comment specifically on the Amarillas case, confirming only that the investigation remains active. Acting Deputy Assistant Director Jeff Houston issued a statement on Monday.

Houston affirmed the agency’s commitment: “NCIS and our partners remain committed to thoroughly and aggressively investigating any allegation involving the theft of military weapons and munitions to be sold on the black market.”