Men accused of robbing JBLM of military-grade weapons face federal charges
Two former members of the miliary who were accused of robbing Joint Base Lewis-McChord in June, hoarding weapons at their home and being white nationalist extremists appeared in federal court in Tacoma Friday, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.
According to the release, Charles Ethan Fields and Levi Austin Frakes, both 27, have been in custody in Thurston County since June 2. They’re being federally charged with robbery, assault and theft of government property, according to the release.
The Olympian was not immediately able to reach attorneys representing the men in the federal case Friday.
An investigation allegedly found that the men were trying to steal about $14,000 in government property, according to the release.
The release included information from the criminal complaint. According to the complaint, an Army member found the men had broken into the Ranger compound at JBLM on June 1. They allegedly beat him with a hammer, hitting his torso and head.
“The victim was able to gain control of the hammer, only to have one of the men pull a knife and brandish it at the victim,” according to the complaint. “The men — later identified as Fields and Frakes — ran from the Ranger compound, and dropped some of the items they allegedly were trying to steal.”
The two were later traced to a home in Lacey, where investigators allegedly found weapons and military property, according to the complaint. They allegedly found “military explosives such as blasting caps, flashbangs, and smoke grenades,” military munitions, night vision devices, helmets and ballistic plates and plate carriers.
“Some of the items are restricted and not allowed to be owned or stored in a private residence,” according to the release. “Officers also recovered $24,000 in cash.”
The Olympian previously reported that the items were allegedly found alongside Nazi and white supremacy flags and paraphernalia. The men were previously charged in the matter with unlawful possession of a machine gun; possession, manufacture or disposal of an incendiary device; unlawful possession of explosives; unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle; and misdemeanor possession of a dangerous weapon in Thurston County Superior Court, The Olympian reported. Both men appear to be awaiting trial on those local charges, according to Thurston County Superior Court records.
The DOJ release said assault and theft of government property are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and robbery is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
“The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations,” the release said. “A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
Olympian archives contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Men accused of robbing JBLM of military-grade weapons face federal charges."
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