OIG Audit Report

The U.S. Marshals Service's
Control Over Weapons and Laptop Computers

Report No. 02-29
August 2002
Office of the Inspector General

APPENDIX II

CIRCUMSTANCES OF WEAPON AND LAPTOP COMPUTER LOSSES

NBR REPORT
DATE LOCATION BRIEF USMS DESCRIPTION OF
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS ³¹

WEAPONS

1 12/15/00 Central District of California Weapon was stolen from the deputy’s locked car trunk.

2 11/13/99 Western District of Washington USMS vehicle stolen from deputy’s driveway. Upon recovery of the vehicle, the gun rack was found broken and a shotgun was missing.

3 08/02/01 Northern District of Texas Deputy’s car was rear-ended by a semi-truck on the highway; the car was immediately enveloped in flames, destroying the weapon inside.

4 04/23/01 FLETC The weapon was unaccounted for during a physical inventory; it was likely destroyed by smelting with other outdated shotguns, but mistakenly left off of the destruction certification.

5 10/25/99 Middle District of Georgia The shotgun was found missing during a program review – the gun was last seen in the shotgun rack of a USMS vehicle.

6 01/29/01 Eastern District of Kentucky The revolver was unaccounted for during a physical inventory; it was missing since transport from Covington to Lexington, Kentucky in Summer 1999.

LAPTOP COMPUTERS

1 08/02/01 Northern District of Texas The laptop was destroyed in a car fire caused by an accident on the highway (along with weapon number 3 above).

2-8 08/07/01 Northern District of Georgia Seven excess computers could not be repaired, and the hard drives were destroyed because the laptop computers were obsolete and too costly to upgrade.

9-10 06/14/00 Northern District of Georgia Two laptop computers were damaged and then destroyed before the destruction paperwork was completed. The responsible office received a letter from the Board of Survey stating that the losses could have been prevented through closer compliance with the property regulations.

11-18 07/11/01 Office of Program
Review - Houston Eight laptop computers were destroyed when the District Office was flooded.

19 08/07/00 District of South Carolina The laptop computer was stolen from an unsecured vehicle. The responsible Office received a letter from the Board of Survey stating that the loss could have been prevented through closer compliance with the property regulations.

20 06/21/01 HQ: Asset Forfeiture This laptop computer had not been seen in at least 1 year -- possibly an undocumented transfer.

21 06/21/01 HQ: Asset Forfeiture This was an older model laptop computer that was possibly excessed.

22-27 05/10/00 HQ: Protective Operations During the 2000 physical inventory, these six laptop computers could not be located. In response, the Board of Survey requested the office to provide written assurance that internal controls were strengthened and requested the Program Review Team to perform a property management review.

28 11/06/00 HQ: Communications Management The new Program Manager conducted an inventory in October 2000 and was unable to locate this laptop computer.

29-30 04/26/01 HQ: ITS Two laptop computers could not be located -- possibly undocumented transfers.

31 07/24/00 District of the Virgin Islands This laptop computer was discovered missing as a result of the 2000 physical inventory. The item was last seen before a hurricane in November 1999, when property was transferred to a new storage facility.

32-34 06/04/01 & 06/06/01 Western District of Texas Three laptop computers could not be located during an inventory in May 2001.

35 05/24/01 Southern District of Florida This laptop computer was discovered missing during the 2001 physical inventory.

36-42 10/20/00 HQ: ITS Seven laptop computers were reported missing during a physical inventory in 2000. Possibly undocumented transfers as one item was later located in a different office.

43-48 08/08/01 HQ: Business Services Division Six laptop computers were discovered missing during a physical inventory; one machine was later found.

49-56 06/12/01 HQ: Office of Internal Affairs Eight laptop computers were reported missing in June 2001; five were subsequently located in September 2001.

NBR	REPORT DATE	LOCATION	BRIEF USMS DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS ³¹
*WEAPONS*
1	12/15/00	Central District of California	Weapon was stolen from the deputy’s locked car trunk.
2	11/13/99	Western District of Washington	USMS vehicle stolen from deputy’s driveway. Upon recovery of the vehicle, the gun rack was found broken and a shotgun was missing.
3	08/02/01	Northern District of Texas	Deputy’s car was rear-ended by a semi-truck on the highway; the car was immediately enveloped in flames, destroying the weapon inside.
4	04/23/01	FLETC	The weapon was unaccounted for during a physical inventory; it was likely destroyed by smelting with other outdated shotguns, but mistakenly left off of the destruction certification.
5	10/25/99	Middle District of Georgia	The shotgun was found missing during a program review – the gun was last seen in the shotgun rack of a USMS vehicle.
6	01/29/01	Eastern District of Kentucky	The revolver was unaccounted for during a physical inventory; it was missing since transport from Covington to Lexington, Kentucky in Summer 1999.
*LAPTOP COMPUTERS*
1	08/02/01	Northern District of Texas	The laptop was destroyed in a car fire caused by an accident on the highway (along with weapon number 3 above).
2-8	08/07/01	Northern District of Georgia	Seven excess computers could not be repaired, and the hard drives were destroyed because the laptop computers were obsolete and too costly to upgrade.
9-10	06/14/00	Northern District of Georgia	Two laptop computers were damaged and then destroyed before the destruction paperwork was completed. The responsible office received a letter from the Board of Survey stating that the losses could have been prevented through closer compliance with the property regulations.
11-18	07/11/01	Office of Program Review - Houston	Eight laptop computers were destroyed when the District Office was flooded.
19	08/07/00	District of South Carolina	The laptop computer was stolen from an unsecured vehicle. The responsible Office received a letter from the Board of Survey stating that the loss could have been prevented through closer compliance with the property regulations.
20	06/21/01	HQ: Asset Forfeiture	This laptop computer had not been seen in at least 1 year -- possibly an undocumented transfer.
21	06/21/01	HQ: Asset Forfeiture	This was an older model laptop computer that was possibly excessed.
22-27	05/10/00	HQ: Protective Operations	During the 2000 physical inventory, these six laptop computers could not be located. In response, the Board of Survey requested the office to provide written assurance that internal controls were strengthened and requested the Program Review Team to perform a property management review.
28	11/06/00	HQ: Communications Management	The new Program Manager conducted an inventory in October 2000 and was unable to locate this laptop computer.
29-30	04/26/01	HQ: ITS	Two laptop computers could not be located -- possibly undocumented transfers.
31	07/24/00	District of the Virgin Islands	This laptop computer was discovered missing as a result of the 2000 physical inventory. The item was last seen before a hurricane in November 1999, when property was transferred to a new storage facility.
32-34	06/04/01 & 06/06/01	Western District of Texas	Three laptop computers could not be located during an inventory in May 2001.
35	05/24/01	Southern District of Florida	This laptop computer was discovered missing during the 2001 physical inventory.
36-42	10/20/00	HQ: ITS	Seven laptop computers were reported missing during a physical inventory in 2000. Possibly undocumented transfers as one item was later located in a different office.
43-48	08/08/01	HQ: Business Services Division	Six laptop computers were discovered missing during a physical inventory; one machine was later found.
49-56	06/12/01	HQ: Office of Internal Affairs	Eight laptop computers were reported missing in June 2001; five were subsequently located in September 2001.

Footnotes

Descriptions are paraphrased from loss reports and/or Board of Survey documents.