A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced for his involvement in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (UPS) warehouses, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. The announcement was made on February 13.
Aboudramane Karamoko, 21, from Philadelphia, received a sentence of 39 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. His sentencing took place in Camden federal court on February 13. Three other individuals from Philadelphia had previously been sentenced: Sekou Fofanah, 20, received a sentence of 24 months imprisonment with three years of supervised release; Shamaire Brown, 19, was also sentenced to 24 months imprisonment with three years of supervised release; and Quamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
Ricky J. Patel, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Newark Special Agent in Charge stated: “Our incredible partnership with multiple agencies nationwide garnered sentencings that hold these thieves accountable for the over $1.6 million worth of merchandise they robbed from consumers.” He added that every investigative tool available is used "to safeguard the interstate and international commerce of the United States as well as our nation’s overall supply chain.”
The four defendants were ordered to pay restitution amounting to $1,600,157.
The investigation revealed that from at least January 2021 through April 2023, Fofanah, Brown, Brown, Karamoko and others conspired to commit burglaries at UPS facilities across various states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Rhode Island. They accessed these facilities by breaking or prying open loading bay doors and targeted parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings indicating high-value electronic devices like cell phones.
Multiple agencies supported ICE HSI Newark in this investigation including HSI offices in Philadelphia and State College as well as law enforcement agencies across New Jersey such as the New Jersey State Police and South Brunswick Police Department. In Pennsylvania assistance came from entities like the Pennsylvania State Police and Centre County District Attorney’s Office among others. Agencies in New York included the New York State Police while Rhode Island’s Warwick Police Department also contributed along with Michigan’s Livonia Police Department among others.
