Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Tou Sue Vang, a 33-year-old resident of Sacramento, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a catalytic converter theft ring. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced the sentence, which follows Vang's role in transporting stolen converters across state lines and laundering money.
Court documents reveal that Tou Vang, alongside his brother Andrew Vang and mother Monica Moua, purchased stolen catalytic converters from local thieves. These were then sold to a buyer in New Jersey for over $38 million. Catalytic converters are often targeted by thieves due to their high value and lack of identifying marks.
The case is part of a broader initiative targeting catalytic converter theft conspiracies nationwide. Besides the California defendants, the case involves 12 individuals from New Jersey, including Navin Khanna and Tinu Khanna of DG Auto, who bought the stolen converters from California.
Tou Vang operated primarily from private residences and storage units without a scrap yard or business license. He used proceeds from these illegal activities to fund an extravagant lifestyle, purchasing property and vehicles with the illicit earnings. As part of his sentence, more than $150,000 in cash and various assets were forfeited to the United States.
"This defendant led a network of criminals that hurt thousands of innocent car owners," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. She emphasized the importance of law enforcement partnerships in disrupting such criminal conspiracies.
Special Agent Linda T. Nguyen highlighted the role of IRS Criminal Investigation agents in tracing assets and uncovering the truth behind these operations. "Today's sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between all local, state, and federal agencies," she said.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, with support from several local police departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría and Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) played a significant role in this investigation by identifying and dismantling high-level criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach.
For further details on OCDETF’s efforts against organized crime, visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
