A Guatemalan national, Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for his involvement in a theft ring. Described as "the most consistent member" of the group, Morales was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and illegal re-entry into the United States. Following his prison term, he will be deported.

Morales, 30, resided in Cranston and was part of a Rhode Island-based conspiracy involving up to a dozen individuals. The group targeted home improvement and clothing stores across five states—Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey—to steal merchandise worth over $280,000. Morales played a significant role by attending nearly every theft and managing the sale prices of stolen items.

The court proceedings revealed that Morales's residence contained tens of thousands of dollars' worth of stolen goods at the time of his arrest on April 11, 2024. U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith sentenced him to 30 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. After serving his sentence, Morales will be handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation.

Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams prosecuted the case with investigations led by Homeland Security Investigations agents from Providence and Boston along with various local police departments across several states.