John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDREW SACCO, 44, of New Haven and formerly of Durham, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a large-scale fencing operation. Judge Shea also ordered SACCO to pay a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January 2012 and December 2014, SACCO participated in a conspiracy to purchase stolen property from “boosters," who typically were shoplifters with opioid addictions, and then resold the property at online websites. SACCO, his co-conspirator Matthew Harwood, and others instructed the boosters to steal certain items from retail stores such as Petco, Staples, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond, and paid cash for the stolen items at approximately one-third of their retail price.
After receiving the stolen merchandise, SACCO and Harwood stored the merchandise at multiple locations, including SACCO’s former residence in Durham and business locations in North Haven. SACCO and Harwood then sold the stolen products at online sites, including eBay and Amazon.
Through this scheme, retailers lost more than $3.9 million.
SACCO was arrested on July 15, 2016. On June 21, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the interstate transport of stolen property and one count of interstate transport of stolen property.
SACCO, who is released on a $100,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on February 6, 2018.
On Nov. 3, 2016, Harwood pleaded guilty to the same charges. He awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and the New Haven, North Haven, Milford, West Haven, Wallingford, Hamden and Orange Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
