Former U.S. Army Civilian Employee at Brooke Army Medical Center Sentenced to Federal Prison for Pocketing Solicited Funds for Wounded Warriors

In San Antonio today, 67-year-old Opal Jewel Charles, of Cibolo, TX, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for stealing money collected for wounded warriors and their families announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; Resident Agent in Charge Ray A. Rayos, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (Army CID), San Antonio Fraud Resident Agency; and, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy Caldron, San Antonio.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ordered that Charles pay $260,000 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing her prison term. 

In May, Charles pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of structuring.  By pleading guilty, Charles admitted that from 2004 to December 2016, she was assigned to attend to the needs of soldiers and their families at the Warrior Transition Battalion at Brooke Army Medical Center located on Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. As part of her duties, she solicited funds and other assistance from private organizations and individuals dedicated to assisting wounded warriors.  Charles, admittedly, stole those solicited funds and used them for her own private affairs, including gambling.  Charles further admitted to structuring bank deposits under $10,000 in order to avoid triggering automatic currency transaction reports.

“Today's sentencing illustrates our firm commitment to aggressively investigate public corruption on Joint Base San Antonio and hold those who engage in such acts accountable,” said Resident Special Agent in Charge Ray A. Rayos, U.S. Army CID San Antonio Fraud Resident Agency."

“IRS-Criminal Investigation is diligent in unraveling the fraudulent actions of those, such as Opal Charles, who schemed to defraud those willing to donate to American soldiers in need of assistance,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy Caldron, San Antonio Field Office.  “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are detrimental consequences for this type of criminal behavior.”

Agents with the U.S. Army CID Major Procurement Fraud Unit and IRS-CI investigated this case.  Assistant United States Attorney James Blankinship prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.