Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Edward Williams, a former Special Agent with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), has pleaded guilty to charges of theft of government property. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith made the announcement regarding Williams, aged 49 and residing in Auburn.
Court documents reveal that Williams was stationed at the USFS Grass Valley field office. On October 25, 2021, he accessed the USFS Truckee Ranger District office and took at least 21 pieces of equipment designated as DRMO—retired military-grade items from the U.S. Department of Defense meant for agency use only.
On May 19, 2022, during an interview with law enforcement, Williams admitted to committing the theft on October 25, 2021. A subsequent search of his home led to the seizure of numerous pieces of equipment originally belonging to the USFS, including items from other occasions apart from the October incident. Additional night vision equipment taken by Williams and given to two friends was later recovered by authorities. In his plea agreement, Williams agreed to return all stolen items to the USFS, valued approximately at $206,371.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and USFS Office of Professional Responsibility, with support from both USFS and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is leading the prosecution.
Williams' sentencing is set for September 18, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to ten years in prison; however, his actual sentence will be determined based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
