Federal prosecutors have charged three Rhode Island men with conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property for their roles in what authorities describe as a widespread catalytic converter theft operation that netted over $2.4 million.
Kuron Mitchell of Newport, Alberto Rivera of Cranston, and Luis Aceituno of Providence are accused of stealing thousands of catalytic converters from vehicles across Rhode Island, Massachusetts and the greater Boston area between January 2021 and November 2022. Prosecutors say the parts were sold to a Providence-based recycling company, where scrap prices ranged from $300 to $1,500 per unit.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island, law enforcement began tracking a pattern of catalytic converter thefts in early 2022. Police later identified a group they alleged were responsible for more than 7,000 stolen catalytic converters.
Federal investigators, including the FBI, reviewed data from a crime-tracking database and the recycling firm’s records. That analysis revealed Rivera allegedly sold 19 catalytic converters for $7,100, while Aceituno allegedly sold 2,128 catalytic converters for $699,735.
Aceituno faces an additional charge of filing false tax returns for failing to report the nearly $700,000 in income to the Internal Revenue Service, resulting in an unpaid tax liability of $199,908.
Authorities said the investigation involved multiple agencies, including local police departments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
While the case remains pending and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, law enforcement efforts may be yielding results. According to State Farm, there was a 74% drop in catalytic converter theft claims in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The average claim during that time was nearly $2,900.
