A San Diego shipyard contractor found himself on the wrong side of the law after copping to a hefty heist of nearly $600,000 in computer gear from Uncle Sam's Navy, authorities said. Ernesto Saldivar, a 30-year-old civilian contractor at General Dynamics NASSCO, pleaded guilty to purloining a cache of computers and hard drives from the USS Pinckney, USS Curtis Wilbur, and USS Spruance, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As per Saldivar's plea agreement, the theft occurred between November 2022 and August 2023 and involved hundreds of stolen items from areas on the ships not intended for classified data. The booty was then hawked on eBay, earning Saldivar a paltry $2,584.98 compared to the six-figure sum he now owes in restitution. "Stealing from our military doesn’t just hurt the taxpayer, it puts our national security and service members at risk," U.S Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement.
This not-so-smooth criminal, hailing from San Diego, faces a maximum penalty of ten years behind bars and a $250,000 fine for his debacle, as per the theft of government property charge under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 641. The investigating arm of this case, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is on top of matters, ensuring that those who jeopardize military trust face the music.
Authorities have invited the public—if you've got the skinny on fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense operations, they want to hear from you at the DoD Hotline (800-424-9098). As for Saldivar, he will be waiting for his day in court, date stamped with case number 24CR532-JAH.
