Military Surplus Dealer, Sons Guilty in Stolen Goods Case

A military surplus dealer from Oceanside and his two sons have pleaded guilty to receiving stolen military gear from Camp Pendleton, the U.S. attorney’s office in San Diego said Thursday.

Jerry Alexander and his sons, Jerry Jr. and Robert, entered their pleas on Jan. 7, Assistant U.S. Atty. Pamela Naughton said. She said the guilty pleas were not announced previously because the three have been assisting federal authorities in an investigation involving 65 people charged with pilfering military field equipment from Camp Pendleton.

The Alexanders own Sad Sack Surplus in San Diego and Dorothy’s Military Store and Sunshine Cleaners in Oceanside. Naughton said the eldest Alexander agreed to plead guilty to a felony count of receiving stolen property and income tax evasion. He could be sentenced to a minimum of two years in federal prison, but no more than 10, plus a $100,000 fine. Prosecutors said that he also has agreed to sell his businesses.

Naughton said the sons pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts each and face a $1,000 fine and up to three years in prison. The three will be sentenced April 8.

Sixty-five people, mostly Marines, ex-Marines and their families, were indicted by a federal grand jury in November on charges of stealing military property from Camp Pendleton. The Alexanders were not named in the indictment, said Naughton. But when the indictments were unsealed in December, federal authorities said they were investigating surplus dealers who were selling equipment stolen at Camp Pendleton.