A Member of One of the Largest Catalytic Converter Theft Rings in Northeast Pleads Guilty

Ring stole more than 470 catalytic converters in 2022 and 2023 alone

A Springfield man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in a regional organized theft ring of catalytic converters. Among the charges, Santo Feliberty, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy to commit bank theft; bank theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The firearm charge arises from a pistol and ammunition found during the search of Feliberty’s residence as part of the catalytic converter theft investigation.

During the plea hearing, Feliberty admitted to participating in thefts of catalytic converters from 52 vehicles across eight cities and towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Feliberty is one of six men the Department of Justice arrested on April 12, 2023, who were part of an organized crew that stole catalytic converters from over 490 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. According to the Department of Justice the ring stole catalytic converters from at least 471 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 and 2023 alone.

It is alleged that the crew was led by Rafael Davila, who engaged in catalytic converter thefts and burglaries on a full-time basis – committing thefts multiple nights per week for upwards of eight hours a night. Rafael Davila was allegedly responsible for the planning of and transportation to each targeted theft – using his vehicle, determining price values for stolen converters and purchasing needed materials. It is further alleged that he maintained meticulous notes accounting for the locations that he and his co-conspirators had targeted and the number of catalytic converters that had been stolen, including the makes and models and when they were dropped off.

Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. Those scrap dealers have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma.

The DOJ, however, believes that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement. According to court documents, the crew was skilled and able to locate and cut away the catalytic converter from a vehicle within a minute in most instances – often utilizing battery operated power-tools and car jacks. It is alleged that, on numerous occasions, the defendants targeted more than 10 vehicles in a single night, with one night reporting thefts from 26 vehicles.  

On May 17, 2023, Torres pleaded guilty to his role in the catalytic converter theft conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14, 2023.

On May 24, 2023, Alexander “Dirty” Oyola, 37, of Springfield pleaded guilty to the ATM and jewelry store burglaries and will be sentenced at a later date. On March 13, 2023, Nicolas Davila pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on January 9, 2024. Charges against Rafael Davila, Carlos Fonseca and Zachary Marshall are pending, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In addition to the catalytic converter thefts, Feliberty pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022. It is alleged that this conspiracy involved the use of stolen trucks to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to the vault. 

Feliberty also admitted to committing burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023, and the theft of a trailer on Dec. 14, 2022. The combined total value of the jewelry stolen during the burglaries was determined to be over $137,000, with each store facing approximately $10,000 in costs to repair the resulting damage. Finally, a firearm and ammunition were found at Feliberty’s residence. Feliberty is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Feliberty on Jan. 31, 2024.

Catalytic converter theft converting into a nationwide epidemic

 The theft of catalytic converters has become a nationwide problem due to the high-value precious metals they contain, some of which are more valuable than gold. Black-market prices for catalytic converters have been more than $1,000 each in recent years. The theft of a vehicle’s catalytic converter results in damage that renders the vehicle inoperable – both mechanically and legally under EPA regulations – until properly replaced 2.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), there were more than 64,000 catalytic converter thefts across the United States in 2022. California and Texas were the states with the highest amount of thefts, with each state experiencing more than 32,000 catalytic converter thefts last year.

This new data is just a snapshot of an underreported crime that affects communities across the nation,” said David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB.  “While a catalytic converter can be removed in just a few minutes, for vehicle owners, the cost is much more than the replacement parts. Victims must find alternate transportation, schedule necessary repairs, and may face loss of work as a result.”

Based on insurance claims, thefts of catalytic converters increased significantly from 2020 through 2022. Insurance claims for these thefts increased from 16,660 claims in 2020 to 64,701 in 2022.

Mandated in the U.S. since 1975, catalytic converters neutralize harmful gases in engine exhaust that contribute to air pollution and smog and are bolted to the underside of cars or trucks as part of their exhaust system.  Catalytic converters contain platinum, rhodium, and palladium, rare earth metals that are more valuable than gold.  Often metal recyclers pay between $50 to $250 for a catalytic converter and up to $800 for one removed from a hybrid vehicle. Replacing catalytic converters is not cheap. It can cost between $1,000 and $3,500 or more to replace a catalytic converter that is stolen, depending on the type of vehicle.