Norfolk naval officer pleads guilty to stealing military equipment

NORFOLK, Va. — U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Sean Claude Crowell, 40, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of government property after stealing military equipment that he later sold online. He will be sentenced on April 11, 2025, and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Crowell was assigned to Helicopter Naval Combat Wing Atlantic at Naval Station Norfolk from December 2022 to September 2024, according to court documents. According to records, Crowell was responsible for inspecting and inventorying military equipment owned by the command.

Watch: Fleet Festival at Naval Station Norfolk opens world’s largest naval base to public

Festival of the Fleet at Naval Station Norfolk opens the world’s largest naval base to the public

The Department of Justice says that between January 2023 and June 2023, Crowell stole numerous government items, including seven sets of night vision goggles, two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses and eight night vision goggle batteries. The stolen items were valued at at least $164,646.

Steve Helber/AP

Court documents also show that Crowell used online advertising to sell five sets of stolen night vision goggles to third-party buyers for $19,947 between February and May 2023.

In March of that year, Crowell allegedly offered for sale two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses that were regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Officials say Crowell sold the stolen lenses for $300. On April 1, 2023, Crowell allegedly sold eight night vision goggle batteries for $500.

Festival of the Fleet at Naval Station Norfolk opens the world’s largest naval base to the public

Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigators interviewed Crowell and searched his vehicle on May 10, 2023. NCIS recovered one of the stolen sets of night vision goggles from the vehicle.