Virginia Man Charged in Theft of White House Audio Equipment Truck

A Richmond man was charged with stealing a truck containing President Barack Obama's audio equipment, the Associated Press reported.

Eric Brown, 48, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of theft of government property, federal prosecutors said. A federal magistrate on Wednesday ordered Brown held without bond.

The van containing equipment used by the president during public appearances was at a Henrico County hotel parking lot on Oct. 16, 2011. The empty van was recovered on the other side of town the next day. The equipment – including the president’s teleprompter and $200,000 worth of audio equipment and presidential seals mounted on Obama's podium – was in Richmond for Obama's visit to a suburban fire station to promote his jobs plan.

No classified or sensitive information was in the vehicle, the Defense Information Systems Agency said.

Brown bragged about the theft, sold a stolen laptop and possessed equipment that contained the presidential seal, the complaint against him says.

Brown's attorney, David Lett, declined comment.