Erick Alfaro Guevara, Catalytic Converter Theft, Virginia 2024

Two Salvadoran nationals have pleaded guilty to a daring string of catalytic converter thefts in Virginia and Maryland.

According to court documents, Erick Alfaro Guevara, 46, and Jose Wilmer Ortiz Granados, 23, stole catalytic converters from cars in Virginia and sold them in Maryland. The two used their cellphones to communicate about stealing the converters, which they typically did at night or in the early morning, and used saws to remove the converters from parked vehicles.

On December 18, 2024, Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados traveled from Maryland to Arlington County, Virginia, where they burglarized multiple vehicles and stole catalytic converters. Later, law enforcement in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, responded to the scene of a single-car accident involving the vehicle Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados had used. The two were gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. Investigators recovered 17 stolen catalytic converters as well as Alfaro Guevara's cellphone.

Ortiz Granados pleaded guilty on July 1 and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30. Alfaro Guevara pleaded guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28. They face up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, Richmond Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Fisher are prosecuting the case.

The exact criminal charges against Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados are conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods. The city and state where the crime occurred is Virginia. The exact date of the crime is September 2024. The defendant's real full name is Erick Alfaro Guevara and Jose Wilmer Ortiz Granados. The sentence or outcome is up to five years in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/salvadoran-nationals-plead-guilty-conspiracy-steal-and-sell-catalytic-converters