The Army Times confirmed that Army CID agents are investigating the theft of approximately 130 tons of nickel ball bearings at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
A recently unsealed federal search warrant obtained by CID agent Lucas Coulter provided detailed information about the alleged crime. The Army Times accessed the search warrant request through public court records.
Kurt said in his arrest warrant that the CID investigation began in late March, after a source told investigators that an Army civilian employee, Randolph Brady, "unlawfully removed the assets owned by the Department of War Metals in order to recycle them for profit."
Kurt said the ball bearings are worth about US$2 million, but court records show that their net scrap value is only US$1 million.
The Albuquerque Journal first reported the search warrant made by Kurt on August 2.
Randoph Brady, a former senior civilian employee at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, September 2017. CID agents believe that Brady stole a ball bearing that was used for explosives testing worth $2 million. (Facebook/Military)
Brady is responsible for White Sands' survivability, vulnerability and assessment board.
Installation spokesperson Scott Stearns told the Army Times that he was unable to comment on the investigation, but he confirmed Brady’s predecessor title and that he “is no longer employed at the White Sands Missile Range or Army Test and Evaluation Command.” .
Court records show that Brady has not been charged with a crime, but Kurt said that in addition to the suspected theft, Brady “conspired to illegally embezzle government property at least until August 2020.”
Brady did not immediately respond to questions sent by the Army Times via social media.
According to Coulter's authorization application, Brady worked with local waste and transportation companies to "remove four storage tanks with nickel ball bearings from the large explosion heat simulator... facility" and recycle them for profit.
Kurt said that each of the four fuel tanks contained approximately 58,000 pounds of 3/8-inch nickel ball bearings.
According to the Baisha website, the "large-scale explosion heat simulator" is used to simulate the thermal and shock wave effects of nuclear explosions and conventional explosions.
Kurt said that in accordance with the requirements of Army and Federal regulations, no contract was solicited or awarded to remove the ball bearing.
The arrest warrant authorized Kurt to seize more than $1.1 million from a bank account held by a construction company that coordinated the removal and recycling of ball bearings. Kurt said the account received a check and five transfers from a waste recycling company, totaling $1 million.
Court records show that CID executed a search warrant on August 9.
The court documents do not know how much of the recovered proceeds (if any) will be sent to Brady and other unnamed persons suspected of the conspiracy.
When the Albuquerque Journal contacted the owner of the construction company last week, he denied any wrongdoing, saying the metal was "not stolen."
Davis Winkey is a reporter covering the Army. He initially joined the Military Times as a reporting intern in 2020. Before working in journalism, Davis worked as a military historian. He is also the Human Resources Officer of the Army National Guard.