ICE Reports Guilty Pleas for Conspiracy to Export Stolen Cars to Africa
Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that Kevin Demetri Britton, 19, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles, following an investigation led by ICE. According to his plea agreement, between 2010 and April 2011, Britton was an active participant in a conspiracy to ship stolen cars from the United States to countries in West Africa for resale. Members of the conspiracy in the United States hired others to steal late model vehicles -- with the keys -- so that the vehicles could be more easily sold.
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Stolen Vehicles Bought from Thieves, Taken to Shipping Containers & Exported
According to ICE, members of the conspiracy purchased the stolen vehicles from the thieves or an intermediary, and then stored the vehicles at a parking lot or other location, known as "cooling spots." ICE said after three or four vehicles were accumulated, the vehicles would be towed or driven to a location to be loaded into a shipping container. Thereafter, a tractor trailer would transport the container to a port for export.
Fraudulent Title Info Provided to Shipping Companies; Vehicles Shipped to West Africa
ICE said members of the conspiracy hired international shipping companies to arrange for the containers to be shipped overseas. In order to ship vehicles overseas, shipping companies are required to have valid titles for the vehicles. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy used fraudulent title information in an effort to conceal that the cars they sought to ship had been stolen.
The containers were transported to various ports, including the Port of Newark, N.J.; the Port of Baltimore and the Port of Norfolk, Va. The containers were then shipped, or intended to be shipped, to destinations in West Africa, including Nigeria and Ghana.
Britton Acted as Intermediary Between Thieves & Exporters
ICE said that Britton's role in the scheme varied. He acted as an intermediary between the car thieves/carjackers. In the fall of 2010, Britton met Solomon Asare, 36, formerly of Laurel, Md., and learned that Asare would give him cash for late model stolen cars. Britton also learned that Asare shipped the stolen cars to Africa for resale. From the fall of 2010 through April 2011, Britton obtained at least nine stolen cars and sold them to Asare, or someone acting on Asare's behalf.
According to ICE, at all times during his involvement in the scheme, Britton knew that the vehicles he provided were stolen, and he knew that the vehicles were being shipped across state and national borders. The loss associated with vehicles that Britton personally participated in the shipment of was more than $120,000.
Accomplice took Orders from Buyers in Africa
ICE said Asare admitted that he took orders from "buyers" in Africa, purchasing the stolen vehicles from intermediaries, arranging to "cool" the vehicles, load the vehicles into containers and ship the containers to the buyers in Africa. Asare paid the participants along the way, including the intermediaries, drivers of the stolen vehicles, tow truck drivers, tractor-trailer drivers and shipping companies. All payments were in cash.
Britton Faces 5 Years in Prison, Asare Faces 7
Britton and Asare both face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy and Asare also faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft consecutive to any other sentence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Asare July 17 at 1:00 p.m. and for Britton Aug. 28 at 10:00 a.m.