
ANSONIA – A 22-year-old Ansonia resident was one of five men charged in a conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic converters, according to an announcement Wednesday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Francisco Ayala was part of a “network of thieves” allegedly stealing the devices from automobiles, a crime that has skyrocketed in recent years. The devices are easy to steal and valuable to scrap.
Ayala is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property and with interstate transport of stolen property.
Ayala, along with Roberto Alicea, 30, of New Britain, and Theodore Roosevelt Owens, 21, of Hartford, are accused of selling stolen catalytic converters to Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”) in East Hartford.
Then, Alexander Kolitsas, 28, Downpipe Depot’s owner, and an employee, Bryant Bermudez, 31, allegedly took the stolen items to recycling centers in New York and New Jersey, the government alleges.
“Kolitsas and Bermudez instructed their suppliers on the types of catalytic converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale,” according to a prepared statement.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday alleges that, “as part of the scheme, Downpipe Depot received $237,329 via wire transfer shortly after Kolitsas transported a load of catalytic converters, including stolen converters, to Freehold, New Jersey, in October 2021. Also, on two occasions in March 2022, Kolitsas transported catalytic converters, including stolen converters, to Island Park, New York, and sold them for a total of approximately $300,000 in cash.”
Kolitsas and Bermudez are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property and with interstate transport of stolen property. Kolitsas is also charged with money laundering, for allegedly buying a van with money made from stolen catalytic converters, along with two counts of engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity.
A grand jury indicted the group on Aug. 16, according to the government.
“The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component,” according to the statement.