Feds apply brakes to catalytic converter thefts happening across Oklahoma, nation

Jack Money, Oklahoman
·4 min read
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Federal, state and local law officers across the nation and in Oklahoma this week executed dozens of searches, seizures and arrests tied to an alleged scheme to recycle stolen catalytic converters.

Authorities announced the raids on Wednesday as they unsealed federal indictments in the Northern District of Oklahoma and Eastern District of California that accuse 21 people of being involved in a massive scheme involving tens of millions of dollars to acquire the converters from thieves so they could be recycled.

The federal government is seeking the forfeiture of more than a half billion dollars associated with its cases.

In this undated photo provided by the Utah attorney general's office, catalytic converters are shown after being seized in a recent investigation.
In this undated photo provided by the Utah attorney general's office, catalytic converters are shown after being seized in a recent investigation.

What happened with the catalytic converter raids in Oklahoma?

Officials say a grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma handed down 40 indictments targeting 13 arrested individuals.

According to court documents, the defendants worked together to buy stolen catalytic converters and to resell and ship those to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing where the palladium, platinum and rhodium they contained were recovered to be resold.

Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, is accused of receiving more than $13 million from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and of receiving more than $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters.

Adam G. Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York, also is accused of receiving more than $45 million from DG Auto, and Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas, is accused of receiving more than $6 million in payments or catalytic converters.

The documents say most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto by the defendants were stolen and that DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.

Other Northern District of Oklahoma grand jury indictments target:

  • Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey.

  • Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York.

  • Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby.

  • Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner.

  • Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas.

  • Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah.

  • Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell.

  • Ryan David LaRue, 29, of Broken Bow.

  • Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau.

  • Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer.

“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said Northern District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger."

Where did the catalytic converter raids happen and what was seized?

Officials say the searches, seizures and arrests happened across California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia.

Officials confiscated millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash and luxury vehicles.

In Oklahoma, the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Highway Patrol, the attorney general’s office and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office helped federal officials execute this week's searches, seizures and arrests.

“These arrests send a clear message — Oklahoma is doing more than ever to crack down on catalytic converter theft and hold criminals accountable,” Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor said Thursday. “The takedown is a continuation of our efforts to make our communities safer and protect Oklahomans from fraud and theft. This criminal activity will not be tolerated in Oklahoma.”

Catalytic converter thefts remain problematic in Oklahoma

Catalytic converters are a key part of automotive exhaust systems that use precious metals cores to reduce the toxic gas and pollutants emitted by internal combustion engines. In recent years, thieves have targeted them because they can be easily and quickly cut from many vehicles' exhaust systems and then sold for $1,000 or more because of the palladium, platinum and rhodium they contain.

In July, BeenVerified, a public data company, released data showing Oklahoma ranked No. 15 in the increase of catalytic converter thefts since 2019. BeenVerified also showed a 44% increase in converter thefts in 2022, compared with the first four months of 2021.

Through July, the total reported catalytic converter thefts across the nation already were 208% greater than what was reported stolen in all of 2020, according to BeenVerified.

Oklahoma's Legislature took steps this year to reduce catalytic converter thefts here. A law that took effect Tuesday reclassifies a theft of catalytic converter, tires or wheels from a vehicle as a third-degree burglary charge, punishable by a $5,000 fine or five years in prison.

American people 'target' of conspiracy

U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said this week's raids, seizures and arrests took down a catalytic converter theft network valued at millions of dollars.

“We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people,” Garland said.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said law officers are hopeful this week's actions will blunt something that has been hurting people across the country.

“They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process — on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners," Wray said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Indictments: Oklahomans got millions for stolen catalytic converters