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Feds Take Back Equipment: Military Probe Continues in Local Guardsman's Collection of Government Property on West Street

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Heather Rutz, The Lima News, Ohio

Mar. 21--SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP -- The federal government wants to know how so much of its property ended up at William Koontz's house. Federal investigators and Ohio National Guard soldiers started Monday removing thousands of dollars worth of construction equipment from Koontz's home, 4747 N. West St. The job will take several days, said James Sims, a spokesman for the Ohio National Guard.

The government is investigating why the federal property is at Koontz's home, said Jay Strauch, a special agent with Defense Criminal Investigative Service, a Defense Department agency that performs criminal investigations.

Koontz could not be reached for comment. Koontz is a member of the Ohio National Guard. Sims would not comment on Koontz's status with the military. Koontz is also an Allen County Sheriff's Office special deputy, on leave while the military investigation takes place, Sheriff Dan Beck said.

Special deputies are not paid, but can earn pay from a third party while serving as security for things such as sporting events.

Koontz is cooperating with the investigation, Strauch said, and allowed the government on his property without a warrant. Strauch referred other comment to U.S. Attorney Richard Blake who could not be reached.

Koontz's home sits back from the road on a wooded lot. The yard in front of the home was littered Monday with construction equipment. About 10 soldiers removed the Army equipment, bulldozers, cranes, frontend loaders, forklifts, tractors, generators, lighting and more from the property Monday afternoon.

At times, the Ohio State Highway Patrol had to maintain traffic so soldiers could pull larger equipment off the property and haul it away.

The equipment will be stored for now at federal facilities, including the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, Sims said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Lima News, Ohio

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Source: The Lima News

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