Catalytic converter theft ring member gets federal prison

BOSTON — A member of a theft ring that stole catalytic converters from more than 490 vehicles in the region has been sentenced to almost four years in federal prison for his role in the crimes.

Zachary Marshall, 26, of Springfield, was sentenced last Thursday in U.S. District Court in Boston to 47 months followed by three years’ probation, according to the U.S. district attorney’s office.

Marshall, one of seven men arrested last year in what authorities dubbed “Operation Cut & Run,” pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property.

Six have pleaded guilty. The last remaining defendant, Rafael Davila, 35, of Agawam, the alleged leader of the crew, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing Tuesday, according to court records.

The crew stole the anti-pollution devices in Sharon, Easton, Walpole, Franklin and Bellingham, as well as 60 other communities in the state and New Hampshire, according to court records.

Police in those communities, as well as Mansfield, assisted state police, police in New Hampshire and Connecticut, the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies.

Marshall participated in thefts of catalytic converters from 100 vehicles in 10 separate instances between January 2023 and April 2023 — most of which targeted vehicles in more than one municipality over the course of a single night, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Catalytic converter theft is a nationwide problem. The devices are attractive to thieves because they contain precious metals that fetch more than $1,000 on the black market.

Last year, a law written by state Rep. Steven Howitt, R-Seekonk, was passed that is designed to crack down on the black market for the devices.

The thefts attributed to the ring resulted in losses of about $2 million suffered by more than 300 victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Members of the crew sold the stolen catalytic converters to co-defendant Jose Torres, who would in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast in transactions totaling up to $80,000 a week, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Torres pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in May and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.

Police say these catalytic converters were stolen by an organized crew busted in “Operation Cut and Run.”