Guatemalan National, Who Helped Steal $280K in Merchandise, Sentenced to 30 Months Then Deportation

Guatemalan National, Who Helped Steal $280K in Merchandise, Sentenced to 30 Months Then Deportation

A twice-deported Guatemalan national, described in court documents as being “the most consistent member” of an organized group of individuals that repeatedly stole high-end construction equipment, building supplies, and clothing from national retailer’s stores has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.

After his sentence, he will be deported, having been convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and illegal re-entry into the United States, said United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha on Friday.

 

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About Case

As described in court proceedings, Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz, 30, of Cranston, was one of as many as a dozen members of a Rhode Island-based conspiracy of individuals who traveled to home improvement and clothing stores in at least five states to commit thefts, then transported the stolen merchandise to Rhode Island to sell. Morales was present for nearly every theft and set prices for, and directed sales of, the stolen items.

According to information presented to the court, the ring was involved in at least 35 documented thefts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It is estimated that members of the conspiracy stole more than $280,000 worth of merchandise. Tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen goods was recovered from Morales’s residence when he was arrested on April 11, 2024.

Morales was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith to 30 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of supervised release. Morales will be turned over to ICE and faces deportation upon completion of his term of incarceration.