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Reservist To Be Sentenced In Simulator Theft

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 2, 2008

Updated: 09/02/2008 05:11 pm

An Army National Guard reservist who stole a simulator used to train Stinger missile gunners faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced Wednesday.

Scott J. Howarth, 21, of Manatee County, pleaded guilty in May to theft of government property, admitting he stole the simulator, which is valued at more than $37,000.

According to Howarth's plea agreement, he told investigators that in June 2007 he was training with his reserve unit in Fort Stewart, Ga., when military personnel from a Fort Myers unit borrowed his vehicle.

When the vehicle was returned, a Stinger missile firing simulator was left behind, Howarth told investigators. The device was taken to Howarth's platoon bay, according to the plea agreement, which doesn't specify who took the device to the bay. Howarth's public defender, Dionja Dyer, said Howarth and his platoon sergeant jointly decided to put the device in the bay for safekeeping. It remained there until October 2007.

Howarth then "made a bad decision" and took the device home, the plea agreement states, adding that he thought it would make a great "garage ornament."

The simulator allows gunners to practice weapon handling, operation, sighting and ranging. It can be used to track aircraft. It also allows the gunner to practice placing and removing the grips, the plea agreement states.

Dyer said Howarth is a gunner. She said she has a letter from his mother stating he enlisted in the reserves when he was 17 and still in high school. He had attained the rank of specialist, she said.

Dyer said Howarth was getting ready to go to leadership school when he took the simulator.

She said a preliminary calculation of federal sentencing guidelines determined Howarth is likely to receive a sentence of six to 12 months in federal prison.

The device has markings reading, "Confidential," and "National Security Information" and "Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions."

The theft was uncovered when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received information that Howarth had a military weapons system.

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