Former American Legion Leader Accused Of Selling WWII Rifles For Profit

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has filed embezzlement charges in Canadian County District Court against the former adjutant general of the Oklahoma American Legion Headquarters, a news release says.

David Austin Kellerman, 43, has been charged with one count of felony embezzlement for selling loaned World War II rifles from the government.

"Hard work by our agents and federal investigators revealed a scheme that not only stole property from our military, but from veterans," Attorney General Scott Pruitt said in a statement. "We are working to recover more of the stolen property and bring to justice anyone involved with this crime."

Kellerman's duties at the American Legion included collecting World War II military rifles from defunct American Legion posts throughout Oklahoma. He was to return to the rifles and property to the U.S. Army.

According to agents with the AG's Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Army and the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, Kellerman did not return the loaned rifles to the U.S. Army, and instead sold them for personal profit.

If convicted, Kellerman faces up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $5,000 and restitution for each stolen weapon. Investigators have recovered 20 of the rifles so far.