From the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore:
Instead of Securing Unlocked Buildings During Non-Business Hours, Police Officer Stole Approximately $35,000 Worth of Government Items
Baltimore, Maryland – Former Army police officer and sergeant at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Gregory Lamont McNeill, age 45, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to concealing and retaining stolen federal government property.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Joshua Adams, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground; Joel Holdford, Chief of Police, Department of the Army (DA) Police, Aberdeen Proving Ground; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
From December 2002 to February 2015, McNeill was a police officer and sergeant for the DA Police on APG. McNeill patrolled APG during non-business hours. At times he would find buildings unlocked. McNeill would sometimes enter the building to determine whether anyone was working. Many times, no one was working during these non-business hours and the building occupants simply forgot to secure the building.
According to his plea agreement, from at least September 2011 to August 2014, during these building checks, McNeill took items of government property for his own personal use, or for the use of his family members, including laptops, iPad, iPod, camera and accessories, and other electronic equipment. McNeill would place the stolen item in a bag which he transferred from his police vehicle to his personal vehicle at the end of his shift before returning home.
In the months following the theft, four of the five stolen Apple electronic items were linked to iTunes accounts that belonged to McNeill or a member of his family.
On February 5, 2015, agents interviewed McNeill at the APG, while other agents searched his home with the consent of his wife. The agents seized numerous stolen items from his residence. McNeill was unaware of the ongoing search and during his interview, he denied stealing any government property and claimed, for example, that his family did not use Apple products.
During the scheme, McNeill stole approximately $35,000 worth of property belonging to the U.S. Army.
McNeill faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for November 23, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Department of the Army Police on Aberdeen Proving Ground; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein praised the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Mid Atlantic for their assistance in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson M. Gray, who is prosecuting the case.
Good grief! Sometimes people can be so dumb it just boggles the mind.
F-ing cops. Always think they’re above the law. 🙁
We aren’t supposed to stereotype based upon ones race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Maybe that should include careers. That’s a pretty wide sweeping statement, a small number of cops think they are above the law, most quite simply are human beings that are doing their jobs just like you, except occasionally they have to risk their lives for others. The ignorance by people on this site along with the cop bashers is unreal. The cop in this article (not everyone) deserves 10 years in jail because he’s a criminal that hides behind a badge.
I agree that this guy screwed the pooch. Theft is bad. However, I do have to ask what the military use of an ipod is? Did he steal from the PX or is there an actual military use of an ipod?
That’s for sure. Until the culture changes within the dept. they will continue to truly believe they are above the law.
What is the culture that exists within the Aberdeen Proving Ground Police Department that makes the officers believe they are above the law? This is one man out of many in the Department. Are they all stealing?
Have you ever seen the three monkeys, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil Mike? They most certainly know that “Their Brothers” In Most Cases Will look the other way or give them a break if they screw up. I know quite a few law enforcement officers that have no problem with drinking and driving. They know where check points are going to be as well, you know what I mean Mike. These same officers will not hesitate to arrest a individual for DWI. I also have a very good friend who is a cop but was black listed because he would not go out with his “Brothers” after work and get all F’D up than drive home.
The culture is, do what I say, not as I do.
Registering stolen devices to your own account? How stupid can you be? I shouldn’t be surprised the federal government employs law enforcement that doesn’t understand basic investigatory procedures.
You do not have to be a genius to be a cop.
I’m not expecting Mensa members, but if the feds are hiring Chief Wiggum, I think we should be concerned…
Police of all kinds lie n steal, even more so then the rest of us because they have perceived immunity. They think they can get away with it AND DO? Why do you think they discuss me more then any other animal. They take advantage of the disadvantaged. They are the devils lil helpers, and lets not forget the attorneys that feed at the devils trough, they are lapping up the blood too…The biggest mistake we ever made in this country was giving our neighbor a gun and a badge and expecting him to watch our home in our absence. Now that prick lives in my home.