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Final Conviction Handed Down in Multistate Cargo Theft Ring
Thieves Struck 14 Times in 3 States, Hauled Cargo to Miami for Resale
Key Takeaways:
- The defendant was sentenced to 13.5 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.16 million in restitution.
- Tractor-trailers were stolen from distribution sites at least 14 times across three states.
- Property stolen included brands from Oculus, Bath & Body Works, Microsoft, Harman-JBL, Bose, Victoria's Secret and Logitech.
The final defendant in a multimillion-dollar cargo theft ring that stretched across three states was recently sentenced by a federal court in Indiana.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt in the Southern District of Indiana sentenced Juan Perez-Gonzalez to 13.5 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1.16 million in restitution for his role in a scheme through which entire tractor-trailer combinations were stolen from distribution sites at least 14 times, resulting in the theft of $5.2 million worth of electronics and fashion merchandise. Perez-Gonzales, 51, is a Cuban national who was living in Florida.
“This was a coordinated, multimillion-dollar criminal operation — not an opportunistic theft. Cargo theft schemes like this drive up costs for businesses and consumers alike,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The sentences imposed reflect the seriousness of the crime and demonstrate that those who target supply chains for personal gain will face significant consequences.”
A Look at the Operation
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, participants targeted distribution sites in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio used by national companies such as Meta, Microsoft and L Brands.
The thieves kept surveillance on the distribution centers while also following departing loaded semi-tractor trailers.
“When a driver stopped to rest, refuel or park, the conspirators stole the entire tractor-trailer,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “In many instances, the group abandoned the stolen tractor nearby and reattached the trailer to a different semi-tractor they operated. To evade law enforcement, they painted over logos and identifying numbers and used different license plates on the stolen trailers.”
Stolen property included:
- Over $2 million in Oculus Virtual Reality headsets from a Meta facility
- $1 million in Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret merchandise from L Brands
- $940,000 in Microsoft products
- $669,000 in Harman-JBL audio products
- $480,000 worth of Bose audio speakers
- $180,000 in Logitech products
The thieves took the stolen cargo to Miami and sold it at a fraction of its retail value.
“These thefts had real consequences for consumers and businesses, increasing costs and disrupting the flow of goods across the country,” said Tom Wheeler II, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “What this group attempted was a sweeping attack on the backbone of U.S. commerce, but it was ultimately dismantled through the unified work of federal, state and local law enforcement. Federal law enforcement has a far reach and unwavering resolve, and this case makes it clear that anyone who threatens the nation’s supply chain will be tracked down and held accountable.”
READ MORE: Spear Voices Support for Cargo Theft Bill
The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Indiana Homeland Security as part of Operation Take Back America. The HSTF is a joint operation led by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that targets cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
The FBI led the operation with assistance by state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Kentucky State Police, Indiana State Police and the Florida Highway Patrol.
In November, the FBI Indianapolis office began participating in the HSTF effort.
Perez-Gonzalez was found guilty of conspiracy, possessing goods stolen from interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property. It was his third federal conviction for cargo theft; he was sentenced in 2009 to 23 months’ imprisonment for stealing two semi-trailers containing $500,000 worth of liquor from a distribution facility in Jeffersonville, Ind. In 2014, while on supervised release for the 2009 offense, he participated in another tractor-trailer cargo theft scheme and was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison.
The latest scheme took place from November 2021 to May 2023. Five men who participated in these cargo thefts were sentenced between August and October 2025.
Carlos Enrique Freire-Pifferrer, 46, received 7 years and 11 months in prison; Jose Antonio Gomez-Pifferrer, 33,was handed a 37-month sentence. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property and were ordered to pay $1.76 million in restitution. Both were from Louisville, Ky.
Richard Alameda, 47, and Luis Velazquez, 58, both of Florida, each received sentences of nearly three years’ imprisonment. Alameda pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was ordered to pay $789,284. Velazquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property, resulting in $1.32 million in a restitution fine. Dalwy De Armas-Rodriguez, 38, of Louisville, was sentenced to time served for conspiracy.
