Three Rhode Island men allegedly stole 7,000-plus catalytic converters worth over $2.4 million

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Three Rhode Island men have been charged in a catalytic converter theft operation, allegedly stealing more than 7,000 converters from cars in the Southern New England and Boston area worth more than $2.4 million.

Kuron Mitchell, 25, of Newport, Alberto Rivera, 25, of Cranston, and Luis Aceituno, 27, of Providence are each charged with interstate transportation of stolen property in excess of $5,000 and conspiracy to commit the same, according to Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom, District of Rhode Island.

Aceituno is also charged with filing false tax returns.

The Cranston Police Department began investigating patterns of stolen catalytic converters in January 0f 2022, and a criminal group was identified in the thefts.

Many of the converters were allegedly sold to a Providence company that recycles the components, with each one fetching a scrap price between $300-$1,500 based on the model and type of precious metal content.

The three defendants are accused of searching neighborhoods and parking lots in groups to cut off and steal catalytic converters from unoccupied vehicles, later selling them to the company, called Company 1 in court documents.

A 2023 FBI analysis of Company 1’s seized databases and data from the Rhode Island Attorney General showed that Rivera allegedly sold 19 catalytic converters for a total of $7,100.

Aceituno allegedly sold 2,128 converters to Company 1 for just under $700,000 and is also accused of failing to pay taxes on the sale of the converters from 2021-2022.

He owes the IRS $199,908 according to Bloom’s office.

Aceituno appeared in court Monday and was released on unsecured bond, Mitchell appeared in court on April 25 and was ordered released to home detention and GPS monitoring and Rivera remains in custody on an unrelated matter.