Keith Lusher 07.13.26
A federal jury has convicted a former US Army civilian contractor of theft worth more than $1.1 million food, ready to eat (MRE) from Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of a scheme that prosecutors said operated for several months in 2020.
Joseph LaVar Davis, 47, of El Paso, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit theft of government property and one count of theft of government property following a federal trial. Prosecutors said Davis and three co-defendants conspired to steal more than 200 pallets of military rations worth approximately $1.12 million.
according to US Department of JusticeThe scheme took place between February and August 2020. Investigators said Davis used his knowledge of the Army’s food supply system, gained while holding a food service supply position and later working in a similar civilian contractor role, to obtain MREs through fraudulent paperwork.
Authorities said Davis made false requests for food, arranged for truck rentals to transport the pallets to and from Fort Bliss, and coordinated their sale. Prosecutors also alleged that he negotiated prices and received payment for several transactions.
The investigation reached a climax on August 12, 2020, when FBI and Army Criminal Investigation Division agents executed a search warrant at a civilian warehouse in El Paso. Inside, they found approximately 100 pallets of MREs. Investigators determined that the warehouse owner was purchasing ration from the individuals involved in the theft.
Court records described the operation as a coordinated effort involving multiple people with different responsibilities. Prosecutors said Davis handled obtaining the MREs, another former soldier helped transport them, a third man acted as an intermediary between sellers and buyers, and the warehouse owner later sold the military rations online.
Fort Bliss regularly stocks MREs to support soldiers participating in training exercises and mobilization missions. According to the indictment, military units assigned to the installation submitted official requests and designated representatives to receive food from the base supply office.
Three co-defendants named in the case have already entered guilty pleas. Former soldier Jatavis Lenard Fudge pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy and theft charges. Tyrone Lamar Odum Turner pleaded guilty to conspiracy, while warehouse owner John Broberg also pleaded guilty to conspiracy under separate plea agreements.
According to court records, Broberg paid more than $44,000 in multiple transactions for the stolen MREs. Investigators said these payments corresponded with truck rentals and pickups of pallets from Fort Bliss, as well as financial transactions between the co-conspirators.
Each military pallet weighs approximately 1,000 pounds and contains 48 cases of MREs, each case containing 12 complete meal packages designed to feed service members during field training and military operations.
Davis is on pretrial release and is scheduled to be sentenced in October. The FBI investigated the case with assistance Department of Army Criminal Investigation Divisionand federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas handled the prosecution.
keith lusher
Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who lives in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthShoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoors column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St. Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshree.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report radio show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and is proud to promote the unique fisheries of South Louisiana. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com
