A 41-year-old Bonney Lake, Washington, man was charged with theft of government property for his scheme to profit by stealing and selling respiratory support equipment from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Gene Wamsley was employed as a Respiratory Therapist at VAMC until he was placed on leave from VAMC on June 9, 2020. According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began in January 2020 when VAMC reported two bronchoscopes missing from the hospital. A third bronchoscope was reported missing in April 2020. Staff at the VAMC had noticed bronchoscopes listed for sale on eBay from a seller in Bonney Lake, Washington. The investigation linked the sale of three bronchoscopes to Wamsley. A further review of eBay records revealed Wamsley had sold five ventilators in March and April 2020. Three ventilators were found to be missing from VMAC during the same time period. EBay records reveal a variety of other respiratory support equipment sold by the account linked to Wamsley. Administrators at VAMC confirmed the items were used in the respiratory therapy department. Law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Wamsley’s home on June 9, 2020. Medical supplies and eBay sales records were seized in the search.
