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A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment Tuesday, Aug. 16, charging the following individuals:
- Alexander Kolitsas, age 28, of Wolcott;
- Bryant Bermudez, age 31, of East Hartford;
- Roberto Alicea, age 30, of New Britain;
- Francisco Ayala, age 22, of Ansonia;
- Theodore Owens, age 21, of Hartford.
Federal prosecutors said Bermudez began working for Kolitsas in November 2021 at his business, Downpipe Depot & Recycling, which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.
Not long after, the pair began buying stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, including Alicea, Ayala, and Owens, prosecutors allege.
They then allegedly resold the parts to various recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey for their own profit.
Made with precious metals and easily removed from vehicles, catalytic converters are also difficult to trace, making them a popular target for thieves.
Prosecutors allege that Kolitsas and Bermudez instructed their suppliers on which catalytic converters would yield the highest profits.
The scheme netted Downpipe Depot hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one wire transfer of more than $237,000 for a load of stolen catalytic converters that was allegedly transported to Freehold, New Jersey.
Kolitsas also made approximately $300,000 for two other hauls taken to Island Park, New York in March 2022, prosecutors said.
In June 2022, police seized five firearms from Kolitsas and approximately $47,000 in cash, along with $20,000 from Bermudez.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of that money in addition to the roughly $92,000 held in a Downpipe Depot bank account.
Prosecutors are also demanding the forfeiture of three vehicles that were allegedly purchased with the illegal proceeds.
“Catalytic converter thefts are more than just an annoying property crime for victims, they increase insurance rates for all car owners and increase pollution in the air we breathe,” US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said.
“We have also seen a rise in violence connected to catalytic converter theft incidents. This criminal activity would not exist but for the salvagers and metal processors who orchestrate these thefts and purchase the stolen converters.”
Avery noted that the federal investigation is ongoing, meaning additional suspects could be named.
Koltisas, Bermudez, Alicea, Ayala, and Owens each face one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.
They were also charged with one or more counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of 10 years behind bars.
Kolitsas is facing several additional charges that could earn him decades more in prison, including money laundering and possession of firearms by an unlawful drug user or addict.
Kolitsas surrendered to police on Wednesday, Aug. 24, one day after Bermudez and Alicea were arrested.
Bermudez was released on a $150,000 bond and Alicea is detained pending a further hearing on Friday, Aug. 26.
Ayala is currently in state custody, while Owens is already in federal custody for an unrelated offense.
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