Chicago Man Sentenced for Interstate Theft Ring

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 62 months in prison for masterminding an elaborate interstate theft ring that left victims across the Midwest reeling.

Damiane Harris, 49, of Chicago, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody on March 10, 2024, for his role in transporting stolen semi-tractors and equipment across state lines.

According to court documents, Harris orchestrated a brazen heist at a truck sales business in South Bend, Indiana, where he stole a semi-tractor and used it to steal three semi-trailers loaded with over 68 tons of crane counterweights and other equipment.

The stolen goods were then hauled to a scrapyard in Chicago Heights, Illinois, where Harris sold them for a profit, raking in an estimated $310,059 in intended losses.

Harris committed this new offense while on federal supervised release for a similar offense, which earned him a 21-month sentence for his supervised release violation. This will run consecutive to his sentence for the new offense, bringing his total prison time to 62 months.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Bend Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, and the Chicago Heights Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa prosecuted the case, securing a guilty plea from Harris.

Harris’s restitution order calls for him to pay $35,503.58 to the victims of the offense, a small fraction of the estimated losses sustained by the thieves’ targets.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.