LOS ANGELES (AP) — A U.S. Marine who was an ammunition specialist at California’s Camp Pendleton is charged with stealing ammo and weapons, including a shoulder-fired missile system, and conspiring to sell them in Arizona, according to court documents.
Cpl. Andrew Paul Amarillas pleaded not guilty last Thursday in Phoenix to multiple charges including conspiracy to commit theft and embezzlement of government property, and possession and sale of stolen ammunition. A judge ordered him to be held in custody pending trial.
Messages were sent Monday seeking comment from an attorney for Amarillas and officials at Camp Pendleton.
Federal prosecutors said Amarillas used his position as a technical specialist at the School of Infantry West to steal at least one Javelin missile system, thousands of rounds of military-grade ammunition and other weapons-related material between February 2022 and November 2025.
He’s accused of transporting the stolen material to his home state of Arizona, where he sold them to unnamed co-conspirators, who then resold the equipment to others, prosecutors said. Some but not all of the stolen weapons and ammo has been recovered.
