NEW CHURCH, Va. - An Accomack County man has pleaded guilty in a wide-ranging federal case involving the theft and destruction of U.S. Navy materials and a separate COVID-era loan fraud scheme.
According to court documents acquired by WBOC, Almount Gunter, of New Church and a civilian contractor at Naval Station Norfolk, admitted on Tuesday to using his job access to repeatedly enter a secured supply yard and cut valuable “ship-to-shore” power cables between April and September of 2023. He would then bring the cut cables to a recycling center for cash, according to court documents.
Gunter struck multiple times at the naval station in an ongoing theft scheme, according to prosecutors. Investigators say he used his credentials to access the base more than 60 times outside his normal work schedule, often late at night or on weekends, specifically targeting large spools of high-voltage cable stored in the Naval Facilities supply yard.
Those cables play a key role in powering Navy ships while docked. U.S. prosecutors say Gunter cut them and rendered the remaining cable unusable, effectively destroying entire spools in the process. At least four spools were permanently damaged, with losses assessed by Navy officials after his arrest.
By late summer 2023, the scheme had grown more sophisticated. Gunter purchased a commercial wire-stripping machine for nearly $6,000 after learning stripped copper would bring in more money at recycling centers. He also relied on a steady rotation of rental trucks to move the stolen materials, costing more than $15,000. Vehicle data later revealed a pattern of late-night trips onto the base, extended time inside the supply yard, and then drives to a recycling facility in Richmond.
Authorities say the stolen materials were quickly turned into profit. Between May and October 2023, Gunter recycled more than 60,000 pounds of copper and similar materials, earning more than $147,000 in cash. Investigators say he and his wife, a co-defendant in the case, used accounts under different names at the Richmond recycling business, often arriving in different rental trucks.
The operation came to a halt on Sept. 1, 2023. Earlier that day, prosecutors say Gunter’s wife recruited a third person to help “load a truck” on base. That night, Gunter again entered the supply yard and began cutting cable.
Around 11 p.m., base police stopped him as he tried to leave in a rented Ford F-250. The truck bed contained freshly cut sections of high-voltage cable, and investigators found cutting tools, gloves, a mask, and a bag labeled “PROPERTY OF U.S. GOV.” inside the vehicle.
Even after his arrest, prosecutors say Gunter returned to the recycling facility the next day and sold another 3,000 pounds of copper for more than $10,000.
While investigating the cable thefts, authorities say they also uncovered a separate scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors say Gunter submitted multiple PPP applications using false business information and ultimately received more than $34,000 in federal funds.
Gunter was indicted on conspiracy, theft and damage of government property, and wire fraud in February of 2026. On April 21, he admitted the facts laid out by prosecutors and acknowledged his actions were deliberate. Gunter agreed that U.S. prosecutors would have proven the statement of facts had the case gone to trial.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Property and Wire Fraud. In total, Gunter faces up to a 40-year maximum combined sentence for the two charges.
As part of his plea, Gunter also agreed to forfeit money tied to the crimes. A federal judge ordered a monetary judgment of $34,818, which will be included as part of his sentence.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for July.
