Nigel Criss of Philadelphia and Rafael Otero Nieves of Baltimore were sentenced on July 21 to 54 months’ imprisonment and 84 months’ imprisonment, respectively, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for their roles in the interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Criss, Otero, and eight additional co-conspirators conspired to transport stolen motor vehicles across state lines and to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of these vehicles after they had been transported. The group targeted high-end muscle cars which were taken to ‘car meetups’ and ‘street takeovers,’ where participants would take over public spaces such as parking lots or roads. The stolen vehicles were displayed at these events and on social media while being driven recklessly through drifting and burnouts.
The conspiracy involved stealing numerous vehicles across several states. For example, on October 3, 2023, members traveled to a dealership in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, where they stole multiple Cadillacs, Chevrolet Camaros, and a Corvette. Ten individuals were charged; sentences handed down include 12 months for Shamar Morris of Philadelphia; six months for Raymond Steward of Camden County; eighteen months for Tyler Hoagland of Howard County; with others pending sentencing following guilty pleas or deceased.
Chief Judge Brann said that the sentences reflected the volume of cars stolen—more than two dozen each by Criss and Otero—and acknowledged their supervisory roles within the multi-state operation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with Pennsylvania State Police Central and Eastern Auto Theft Task Forces investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted it.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania serves about 3.2 million residents across a region covering over 21,900 square miles with offices in Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport, and Wilkes-Barre; it operates under the Department of Justice handling federal prosecutions as well as civil litigation for the government while also offering victim assistance programs, according to the official website.