By: Richard L. Smith
Three men from Philadelphia have entered guilty pleas for their involvement in a sophisticated burglary ring targeting United Parcel Service (UPS) facilities across the United States.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the guilty pleas, which were made in Camden federal court before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler.
Sekou Fofanah, 20, Shamaire Brown, and Quamaire Brown, both 19, confessed to participating in a conspiracy that led to the theft of merchandise valued at over $1.6 million.
Their crime spree, which spanned from January 2021 to April 2023, affected approximately 55 UPS warehouses in multiple states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island.
Court documents reveal that the trio, alongside co-defendant Aboudramane Karamoko and other accomplices, orchestrated break-ins at UPS facilities by breaching the security of loading bay doors.
They specifically targeted parcels marked with "lithium-ion battery" warnings, which typically contained high-value electronic devices like cell phones.
This meticulous selection process, the group's focus on high-ticket items, maximizing their illicit gains from the burglaries.
Each of the men now faces a charge of conspiracy to commit cargo theft.
This charge carries a stiff penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, the fine could potentially be doubled, depending on the amount of money involved in the offense, underscoring the serious nature of their criminal activities.