FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — A Valley man has been convicted of selling stolen catalytic converters in a multi-million dollar scheme.
Federal prosecutors say 72-year-old George Thomas was running the theft ring where thousands of auto parts were stolen in the Fresno area before being taken to Oregon to be sold.
Authorities say Thomas made over $2.7 million selling the stolen parts.
Evidence from the trial proved that between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased parts from a group of thieves to steal the catalytic converters.
He provided instructions on the types of converters he was looking for and how to best cut the parts off vehicles.
Thomas also loaned some of the thieves money for electric saws and bail.
He has also been convicted of structuring the money from the stolen parts in an effort to hide his financial activities from the government.
Prosecutors say that after his arrest in 2023, reports of converter theft in the Fresno area decreased by more than 60%.
Thomas is set to be sentenced on September 11th.
He faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250-thousand dollar fine.
