2 National Guardsmen arrested, accused of selling gear on eBay

By DAVID MERCER
Associated Press Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill — Two National Guardsmen who served in Iraq have been arrested, accused of illegally selling thousands of dollars of stolen military gear — from night-vision equipment to body armor — on eBay.

Lee N. Shobe, 28, of Toledo, and Christopher R. Henkel, 36, of Decatur, were released on their own recognizance Tuesday after appearing in U.S. District Court in Urbana. They were arrested Friday on charges of stealing government property, and their cases were turned over to a federal grand jury.

Henkel and Shobe belong to Headquarters Company of the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry, based in Champaign, Army National Guard Col. Alicia Tate-Nadeau said. Shobe worked as a unit supply specialist, according to the complaint.

According to a criminal complaint, the pair sold military gear to undercover agents for more than $7,000. Henkel allegedly listed a global positioning system, night-vision equipment and clothing on the Internet auction site Ebay, and had buyers from the United States, Germany, Greece, Italy and Canada. Shobe allegedly sold a Taser, armor and other gear.

Authorities didn’t say how they believe the men acquired the gear. But according to the complaint, Shobe told another person that some of the body armor was found in a duffel bag belonging to a a soldier from Chicago who was AWOL. The armor would have sold for several thousand dollars in the city, Shobe allegedly speculated.

San Jose, Calif.-based eBay prohibits the auction of military objects, ordnance and grenades, including body armor, night-vision gear and other items that can’t clearly be identified as coming from a legitimate source, company spokeswoman Catherine England said.

The company reports potentially stolen goods to police, but in the Illinois case only provided records after being contacted by law enforcement, she said.

Henkel declined comment Wednesday. A message left at a Toledo telephone listing for Lee Shobe was not returned. Both men have retained attorneys, according to court documents, but neither attorney could be reached for comment Wednesday.

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