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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A ringleader of a catalytic converter theft ringing who utilized to unrecorded successful Fresno and Clovis was sentenced Thursday for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters, the Department of Justice said.
George Thomas, who is 72, formerly resided successful Fresno and Clovis, was sentenced to 10 years successful prison.
The DOJ said helium sold thousands of stolen catalytic converters for millions of dollars successful profits and conducted fiscal transactions to conceal those illicit profits.
The DOJ said that the grounds showed that, from January 2021 done November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen converters from a radical of recurring thieves successful the Fresno country who chopped the converters disconnected people's vehicles. The income occurred successful the parking tons of motels, state stations and akin places astatine each hours of the time and night.
According to the DOJ, Thomas gave the thieves instructions connected the types of converters helium was looking for and however to champion chopped the converters of the vehicles. The DOJ said helium besides loaned the thieves the wealth to wage for their motel rooms, saws and bail. The loans were contingent connected the thieves continuing to bargain for him.
After instrumentality enforcement officers executed an archetypal hunt astatine his location and retention portion successful 2021, Thomas continued with the amerciable activities, which the DOJ said helium tried to screen it up.
The DOJ said helium tried covering up by taking photos of the thieves and the IDs each clip helium made the sales. He requested conveyance recognition numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the converters were supposedly chopped and had the thieves motion pieces of insubstantial stating that the converters were not stolen.
The DOJ said that Thomas did not really alteration anything, and continued to behaviour income successful the aforesaid places with the aforesaid people.
Thomas allowed the thieves, according to the DOJ, to usage fake and stolen IDs and supply him with mendacious VINS. In immoderate instances, if the thieves did not supply VINS, helium went retired connected his ain aft the income were completed and collected VINS from random vehicles. Thomas besides completed income to undercover instrumentality enforcement, wherever helium said that helium did not attraction wherever the VINS oregon converters came from.
The DOJ said helium drove the stolen converters to Oregon, wherever helium sold them to a metallic recycling institution for much that $2.7 million.
After helium was arrested successful April 2023, reports of converter theft successful the Fresno country decreased much than 90%, according to the DOJ.
A assemblage convicted Thomas of dealing successful stolen converters and engaging successful unlawful fiscal transactions connected March 27, pursuing a four-day proceedings that included implicit 120 exhibits and grounds from much than 15 witnesses.
