Army Couple Accused of Stealing $2 Million of Gear, Including a Sword and Weapons Parts

A husband and wife, both serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are accused of using their positions there to steal, resell and keep more than $2 million worth of Army gear, including weapon parts, vehicles and a sword.

Prosecutors claim that Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Hammond, who serves with B Company, Group Support Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, and his wife, Maj. Heather Hammond, carried out at least a four-year scheme ordering gear through official Army channels meant to supply units but diverting it to sell or use for themselves.

The pair were arrested Monday and are awaiting a date for their next court appearance.

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Prosecutors say the pair jointly moved $1.8 million in profits through multiple USAA and Schwab Brokerage accounts, some of which were in Heather Hammond's name.

Between December 2018 and this past March, Christopher Hammond obtained lower and upper receivers, gun barrels, gun bolts and firing pins -- which when combined can build a rifle, according to the charges. He also obtained scopes, gun cases and holsters.

In addition to weapons and accessories for them, Christopher Hammond ordered electric guitars, bayonets, a sword, tools, welding gear, gym equipment, night vision goggles and "all-terrain vehicles," according to the indictment, which does not specify what specific vehicles he ordered and whether he later used them for himself or sold them. The indictment also does not specify the variety of sword he ordered.

He also sent at least one email to a manufacturer of weapons optics for one order, prosecutors say, claiming the gear was for his unit's upcoming deployment.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

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