Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that David LaCarriere, 29, of New York City pled guilty yesterday before the Honorable Michael Nelson, Judge of the Superior Court, to conspiring to steal approximately $700,000 in high end merchandise from the cargo area of Newark Airport on Christmas Day 2014.
LaCarriere, who was a driver for a trucking company, conspired with another man to use phony documents to pick up a truckload of Hermes and Chanel clothing, jewelry, pocket books and other items from Newark Airport.
Originally charged with money laundering, theft and conspiracy to commit theft, LaCarriere pled guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of over $75,000 in exchange for a five-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18 before Judge Nelson.
Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Walter Dirkin, who handled the case, said an unindicted co-conspirator, entered the cargo area of Newark Airport with a forged air bill and used that document to take merchandise valued at $700,000. That man and LaCarriere then took the truck to a facility near Kennedy Airport. Approximately $350,000 in merchandise was recovered.
The theft came to light when the true owners came to pick up the merchandise and were told it had previously been taken. Detective Daniel McCarty of the Port Authority Police Department identified and tracked the movement of the merchandise and LaCarriere through GPS tracking in the truck he used and LaCarriere’s cell phone.
Dirkin credited Det. McCarty with the identification and arrest of the defendant that resulted in the plea.