CAMDEN, NJ – Today, three men from Philadelphia admitted their involvement in a nationwide conspiracy to burglarize United Parcel Service (UPS) warehouses, a scheme that led to the theft of merchandise valued at over $1.6 million. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the guilty pleas of Sekou Fofanah, 20, Shamaire Brown, 19, and Quamaire Brown, 19, before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in federal court in Camden. Each faced a single count of conspiracy to commit cargo theft.
From January 2021 through April 2023, the defendants, along with Aboudramane Karamoko and others, targeted UPS facilities across various states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island. They typically broke into these warehouses by shattering the loading bay window or prying the doors open. Their primary targets were parcels labeled with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, indicative of high-value electronics such as cell phones. The group acknowledged their roles in burglarizing at least 55 UPS locations and stealing approximately $1.6 million in goods.
The conspiracy charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or double the pecuniary gain from the offense, whichever is greater. The investigation received support from Homeland Security Investigations Newark and numerous local and state law enforcement agencies across several states.
