A Crown Point man is accused of transporting a stolen chemical element used to strengthen steel from Indiana to Pennsylvania, according to federal court records.
Robert Watkins, 22, was originally charged in October in the U.S. District Court in Hammond with three counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods. The case was sealed until Wednesday.
According to the indictment, Watkins transported Columbium, also known as niobium, that he knew had been stolen three times, once in 2013 and once in 2014. The indictment does not say much he transported, where it came from in Indiana or where he took it to in Pennsylvania.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the element is often used in producing steel.
Watkins’ attorney, Kevin Milner, could not be reached for comment.
Watkins was released on a $20,000 bond. His trial is set for May 2.