Dennis G. Russell, $744,000 Scheme, Missouri 2021

KANSAS CITY, MO. – A Kansas City pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to a $744,000 scheme to sell over 14,000 stolen items online, authorities announced today.

Dennis G. Russell, 65, the owner of National Pawn at 6223 E. Truman Road in Kansas City, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to a federal information that charges him with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines.

Russell admitted that he participated in a conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 27, 2021, to purchase items he knew had been stolen from various retail locations in the Kansas City metropolitan area, then sell those items on eBay. He shipped approximately 14,672 stolen items across state lines, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $744,222.

The scheme involved multiple individuals, known as ‘boosters,’ who stole items from Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, CVS, Walgreens, and other retail locations. They sold the stolen items to Russell at a fraction of their retail price. Russell then posted the stolen items for sale on eBay, using one of two accounts, and shipped them to purchasers in numerous other states.

On Oct. 21, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at National Pawn and seized 3,400 items, which Russell and National Pawn do not contest were stolen property.

Russell must forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of this offense, including a money judgment of $744,222. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Russell will not work at National Pawn, direct the operations of National Pawn, or profit from National Pawn or any other pawn shop while serving any term of probation or supervised release.

Russell is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

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