EVANSVILLE, INDIANA – Michael J. Rupert, 42, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a large-scale theft conspiracy.
Rupert, a resident of Newburgh, Indiana, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit interstate transport of stolen property and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler, ‘Michael Rupert is a thief who used drug addicts to do his dirty work for him.’ Rupert operated a Newburgh-based company called Deal Makers, which bought and sold valuable goods. He was part of a conspiracy that stole high-end items from stores in the Evansville area and sold them on eBay.
The conspiracy targeted stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Steinmart, stealing high-end purses and wallets. They would then sell the stolen items to Rupert, who would sell them on eBay to various buyers around the country. On other occasions, Rupert would buy stolen items from local home improvement stores and sell them in the same fashion. Items stolen in those incidents included power tools, hand tools, and battery chargers.
In other scenarios, co-conspirators would buy electronic items, such as televisions and headphones, as well as vacuum cleaners, purchased with stolen credit cards. The thieves would return the items to the store with a receipt and obtain a gift card. Rupert would buy the gift card from the co-conspirators at approximately half the face value and use his eBay account to sell the items, sending them by U.S. Mail or other commercial carriers.
Rupert was sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. He was also ordered to serve 2 years of supervised release following his release from prison and pay restitution in the total amount of $136,246. Additionally, Rupert must forfeit funds seized in a bank account and a PayPal account he controlled.
The case was the result of a joint state and federal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Evansville Police Department, and the Vanderburgh County Prosecuting Attorney. Rupert’s co-conspirator, Kyle N. Hudson, was found guilty in federal court in February 2016.
Defendant: Michael J. Rupert
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit interstate transport of stolen property (18:2314) and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property (18:2314)
City and State: Newburgh, Indiana
Exact Date: July 2013 – June 2014 (conspiracy period)
Sentence or Outcome: 30 months in prison
Dollar Amounts: $136,246 (restitution)
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Violent Crime|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
