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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — The Department of Justice announced the sentencing of a section catalytic converter theft ring-leader.
The DOJ says 72-year-old George Thomas, of Fresno and Clovis, volition walk 10 years successful prison for his organized crimes.
Between January 2021 and November 2022, George Thomas purchased stolen catalytic converters from a radical of thieves successful the Fresno country and sold them successful Oregon.
“To radical who privation to enactment successful these schemes and successful these types of crimes… we're coming for you,” Assistant Special Agent for the FBI John Dozier said.
“After being convicted by a assemblage for interstate proscription of stolen property. In this case, it was catalytic converter theft and structuring. In different words, helium was hiding the wealth that were the proceeds of the amerciable activities backmost successful astir 2021,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Sanchez said.
A assemblage convicted Thomas successful March for organizing the theft of implicit 9,600 catalytic converters worthy astir $2.7 million.
“Because of the interaction that that had connected the community, the businesses that were affected that was implicit $20 cardinal successful damages. And the radical mislaid wealth arsenic a effect of those thefts,” Sanchez said.
According to the US Attorney's office, Thomas told thieves which converters helium wanted and however to chopped them disconnected cars. Thomas besides helped the thieves wage for motel rooms, tools, and bail.
“Imagine the anguish, the affectional distress, the interaction that it has connected the regular lives of everyone. These types of schemes,” Dozier said.
Thomas tried covering up his crimes aft authorities searched his location successful mid-2021. He sold the parts to an Oregon recycling institution for $2.7 cardinal and withdrew the wealth from a slope done 386 currency withdrawals that were each nether the $10,000 reporting threshold.
“Followed with the apprehension and condemnation of Mr. Thomas, you saw a alteration of 60% instantly successful catalytic converter thefts. Why is that important? Because that lets the assemblage cognize we went aft the close idiosyncratic with the close resources and the close squad and we got the close outcome,” Dozier said.
Clovis Police detectives recognition the nationalist for being vigilant and reporting suspicious enactment that helped commencement this investigation.
