Federal prosecutors say two area pawn shops sold nearly $16 million of stolen property, taken by drug addicts from area big box stores. Five people who owned or were associated with those pawn shops have been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, selling stolen goods and other crimes.
U.S. Attorney James Kennedy says the pawn shop owners maintained "shopping lists" of merchandise they wanted. Drug addicts would shoplift those items for them from area big box stores, in return for quick cash to fuel their opioid addictions. The shops would pay about 30 percent of retail value, then sell that merchandise on Ebay and Amazon. They falsified their records to make it appear the purchases were legitimate. Kennedy said the shop owners were getting addicts to "do their dirty work" for them and living large on the proceeds.
Rochester Pawn and Gold and Royal Crown Pawn and Jewelry, both on Dewey Avenue, were raided by police with search warrants today. Among
Arrested were Thomas Narry, Eric Finnefrock, Devin Tribunella and Wade Shadders ...all of Rochester.... plus Ralph Swain of Farmington. Finnefrock, Swain and Tribunella are also charged with aggravated identity theft.