The seal of the U.S. Department of Justice is seen on a podium during a press conference. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
A former U.S. Army soldier, who later worked as a civilian contractor in El Paso, Texas, has been found guilty of stealing over $1 million worth of Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs).
What we know:
The U.S. Department of Justice says a federal jury convicted Joseph Lavar Davis, 47, of stealing more than 200 pallets of Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs) valued at approximately $1,120,000.
Davis was named along with three other co-defendants in a two-count indictment on Feb. 12, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of government property and a substantive count of theft of government property.
Dig deeper:
According to court documents, the theft of the MREs occurred between Feb. 24, 2020, and Aug. 12, 2020 and on Aug. 12, 2020, the FBI and Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division agents executed a search warrant at a civilian warehouse in El Paso, where they found about 100 pallets of MREs. Investigators say they determined that the owner of the company using the warehouse was purchasing the MREs from individuals who had stolen them from Ft. Bliss.
The DOJ says while he was in the Army, Davis held a position in food service supply where he gained knowledge of the process to obtain MREs. After his retirement from the Army, the DOJ says he was hired into a similar position as a civilian contractor and used that position to exploit the process and steal MREs from Ft. Bliss.
Investigators say Davis created false requests, rented trucks to transport the MRE pallets, and picked up or arranged for others to pick up the MREs from Ft. Bliss also coordinated various individuals involved to obtain, deliver, and receive payment for the MREs. In addition, the DOJ says Davis negotiated the sales price and received payment for the MREs.
What they're saying:
"Joseph Davis betrayed the very country he once swore to protect in an effort to satisfy his own selfish ambition and a jury of his peers held him accountable for it. Rooting out fraud that undermines our government and our military readiness is a priority of this administration," said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons in a release.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by U.S. Department of Justice. This story was reported from Orlando.