SEATTLE, WA — Two former military members have been charged in federal court after being arrested with an arsenal of military-grade weapons, explosives, and Nazi memorabilia following a violent theft at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) last weekend.
Levi Austin Frakes and Charles Ethan Fields were taken into custody Monday night at their Lacey, Washington residence. According to a federal criminal complaint filed Wednesday, the pair assaulted a soldier with a hammer during an attempted theft of U.S. Army gear from a Ranger compound at JBLM.
The complaint states that Frakes and Fields, both masked, were discovered inside a base building surrounded by Army property. When a soldier confronted them and demanded they remove their masks, a struggle broke out. One man struck the soldier in the head with a hammer, causing heavy bleeding. Despite his injuries, the soldier fought back and seized the weapon — only to be threatened with a knife, which prompted him to let the suspects flee.
The men were later identified through surveillance footage and a dropped hat bearing the name “Fields.” One of the attackers had previously served in the Ranger Battalion, which helped confirm the identification.
A search of the Lacey home led to the recovery of 35 firearms, including short-barreled rifles, an MG42 machine gun, grenade launchers, explosives, body armor, and ballistic helmets. The home also contained $24,000 in cash and Nazi paraphernalia, including a red flag with a swastika and rifles stationed at windows in a defensive setup.
Frakes and Fields are charged federally with robbery, assault, and theft of government property, and may face additional state charges including illegal possession of explosives and automatic weapons. Both men are being held at Pierce County Jail with bail set at $500,000.
Authorities say the suspects had been stealing military gear for over two years, reselling it for profit. The FBI and Army CID are continuing the investigation.
