Three people from southwest Missouri have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a major catalytic converter theft operation.
Twenty-five-year-old Evan Marshall of Rogersville, 31-year-old Cody Ryder of Springfield and 25-year-old Camren Joseph Davis of Rogersville were sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on December 19 for a scheme to transport tens of thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multi-million-dollar business, according to the U.S. Department of Justice,
“These three defendants were the ringleaders of a scheme that impacted thousands of area residents,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said in a news release.
Marshall was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. He was ordered to pay $750,000 to be forfeited to the government and to pay $19,133 in restitution to victims of the thefts who were able to be identified. He was also ordered to forfeit property, including guns, a pickup truck, flatbed trailers, motorcycles and more as well as 191 catalytic converters.
Ryder was sentenced to two years and five months in federal prison without parole.
Davis was sentenced to five years of probation.
The court imposed fines of $125,000 each to Ryder and Davis.
The Springfield Police Department and other local law enforcement organizations were involved in solving the catalytic converter thefts.
“It is good to see the main participants in this crime being held accountable, Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said in the news release, “and the potential for restitution for victims in our community.”
On June 16, 2022, Marshall pleaded guilty to one count of transporting stolen property across state lines on June 16, 2022. Ryder pleaded guilty on June 13, 2022, and Davis pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022, to their roles in a conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines.
Co-defendants 30-year-old Enx Khoshaba, 30-year-old Leslie Ice and 38-year-oldEric Kaltenbach of Springfield,and 34-year-old Danielle Ice of Columbia (formerly of Springfield) have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines and await sentencing.
