Anniston Army Depot Employee Charged with Stealing Transmission Oil Coolers

BIRMINGHAM – Federal prosecutors have charged an Anniston Army Depot employee with stealing more than $175,000 worth of transmission oil coolers from the depot between 2013 and 2015, federal officials announced. 
The U.S. Attorney’s Office on Friday filed a one-count information in U.S. District Court charging ERIC JUSTIN HARDY, 45, of Anniston, with one count of theft of government property for stealing V6 and V8 oil coolers worth $175,537.
In conjunction with the charge, prosecutors also filed a plea agreement with Hardy. As part of that agreement, Hardy pledges to plead guilty to the charge, to consent to a court judgment to forfeit $175,537 to the government, and to pay that same amount in restitution to the Anniston Army Depot. Hardy is scheduled for arraignment on the charge March 9 in federal court in Birmingham.
According to the plea agreement, Hardy stole 70 V6 oil coolers and 28 V8 oil coolers from the Army installation and sold them to various scrap metal dealers for about $25 to $30 each. The Army estimated the V6 oil coolers value at $2,007 each and the V8 oil coolers at $1,250 each.
The maximum penalty for theft of government property is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Beardsley Mark is prosecuting.