OCALA, FL—United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Pedro Luis Infantes (47, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to theft of government property. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on July 11, 2014, Infantes and his son unwittingly met with a confidential source, who was working in cooperation with law enforcement. Infantes believed that the source had connections to potential buyers who were affiliated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations. Ultimately, he negotiated a sale price of $153,500 for 17 military-grade thermal-imaging monoculars, rifle cleaning kits, and other assorted military equipment that had been stolen from the government.

When arrested and interviewed by the FBI, Infantes provided false statements to agents about how he had acquired the military items and how the serial numbers on the items had been removed. He stated that he had purchased the equipment in that condition at assorted gun shows. In fact, his son, Luis Rafael Infantes (21, Ocala), an active-duty supply sergeant in Fort Knox, Kentucky, had stolen the items from the United States Army. Luis Rafael Infantes was also charged for his role in this case, and is scheduled for trial next month.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.