BOSTON (WWLP) – A Springfield man has pled guilty to his involvement in an interstate catalytic converter theft scheme.
Zachary Marshall, 25, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Boston Federal Court to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to prosecutors, Marshall and six co-conspirators were part of an organized group that is alleged to have stolen catalytic converters from at least 492 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 and 2023. Authorities believe there may have been more unreported thefts during that time. Marshall and the others were arrested in April 2023 for the catalytic converter thefts and thefts of ATMs and jewelry stores.
Investigators say that the crew worked quickly, cutting and removing the converters in minutes without being observed, stealing as many as 10 or more a night. They allege that Marshall participated in thefts of catalytic converters from 107 vehicles between Jan. 19, 2023 and April 6, 2023 in multiple cities or towns each night.
It is alleged that the crew was led by Rafael Davila who prosecutors believe arranged the targeting and transportation, keeping notes of the dates, times, and location of the thefts as well as the make and model of vehicles they were removed from. Prosecutors say that Davila arranged for the sale of the stolen converters to a Jose Torres.
Torres purchased more stolen converters from other theft rings, accumulating them to sell to scrap dealers across the northeastern U.S. Torres pleaded guilty in May 2023 for his role in the conspiracy. The scrap dealers have also been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in several states.
Those arrested in April were:
1. Rafael Davila, a/k/a “Robin Hood,” 35, of Feeding Hills, Mass.;
2. Jose Torres, a/k/a “Goldy,” a/k/a “Goldy Tech,” 37, of Springfield, Mass.;
3. Nicolas Davila, 25, of Springfield, Mass.;
4. Carlos Fonseca, a/k/a “Charlito,” 26, of Springfield, Mass.;
5. Zachary Marshall, 26, of Holyoke, Mass.;
6. Santo Feliberty, 34, of Springfield, Mass.; and
7. Alexander Oyola, a/k/a “Dirty,” 37, of Springfield, Mass.
To date, Alex Oyola, Nicolas Davila, Santo Feliberty, and now Marshall, have all pleaded guilty to their charges. Charges against Rafael Davila and Carlos Fonseca remain pending.
Over 70 police departments in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire participated in the investigation, named “Operation Cut and Run,” along with the FBI, State Police, ATF and gang task forces.
