Camp Pendleton

The owner of an Oceanside surplus store and a second man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges involving theft of gear from Camp Pendleton.

Aldo Del Boca, 65, of Oceanside, pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorized sale of government property in connection with his business, Carol’s Cleaners, 306 N. Hill St.

An employee of Boca, Richard Koehler Jr., 39, of Vista, pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor receipt of stolen government property.

Their pleas were made before U.S. District Judge Leland Nielsen, who set sentencing for Jan. 22.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Bernard Revak said Boca could receive 20 years in federal prison and a $20,000 fine. He said Koehler could face two years in prison and a fine of $2,000.

Revak said Boca purchased military watches, typewriters, gas masks, flak jackets and other items worth thousands of dollars at his store for resale. He said the two counts he pleaded guilty to involved a loss of $5,000 to the Marine base.

Carol’s Cleaners, which is also a dry cleaners, was searched in November, 1984, as part of “Operation Rip-Stop,” an investigation involving the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Naval Investigative Service.

Boca and Koehler were indicted Aug. 23 by a federal grand jury on 37 counts including conspiracy, purchase, receipt and sale of stolen military equipment, but the rest of the charges will be dismissed. The two men were among the last indicted, with 68 other defendants charged in sales involving other surplus stores.

Both remain free on $50,000 and $10,000 personal surety bonds.