Soldier Who Stole Night Vision Goggles Sentenced

EL PASO, Texas — Jason Hawreluk, a captain in the U.S. Army who admitted he was guilty of stealing government property, was sentenced to five years probation and a $20,000 fine in a federal district court in El Paso on Sept. 23, court documents show.

Hawreluk, who is from Fort Stewart, Georgia, was accused of helping to steal and sell 15 pairs of ‘Raptor’ brand night vision goggles worth about $6,000 each, as well as a thermal imager worth close to $9,000.

The equipment was stolen from Iraq between November 2007 and January 2008, according to an indictment.

Court documents filed by Hawreluk’s lawyers paint him as a model military prospect whose career is now ruined.

Hawreluk attended Norwich University in Vermont, the oldest private military college in the country. He received numerous scholarships and honors and was a top platoon leader in Iraq and even handled his unit’s finances, according to court documents.

Hawreluk’s lawyers allege that Mark Benedict, Hawreluk’s alleged co-conspirator, had far greater responsibility in the scheme.

They claim that Benedict arranged forthe night vision scopesto be received in El Paso, and Benedict then sold or traded thescopes with gun shops and dealers.

The earlier indictment states that Benedict was caught hiding $30,000 dollars in a container he brought over from Iraq.

Hawreluk’s lawyers claim that Benedict lied to Hawreluk and said all the night vision scopes were seized by U.S. Customs in San Francisco.

Hawrulek is expected to deploy to Iraq again in December, according to the court documents.