PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Haneef Palmer, aka “Lew,” 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 121 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $1,080,786.44 in restitution by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for his central role in a large-scale cargo theft conspiracy.The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in March of this year to one count each of conspiracy, robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), possession of items from interstate shipment theft, theft of government money, and possession of stolen government money, and five counts of theft from an interstate shipment.As detailed in court filings and statements, between January 1, 2023, and July 31, 2023, Palmer conspired with co-defendants to steal goods moving as parts of interstate shipments located on tractor trailers around Philadelphia. While a trailer was unattended overnight, or while the driver was asleep, the members of the conspiracy participating in the theft would use bolt cutters and other tools to break into the trailer and steal the goods inside. The members of the conspiracy would then offer the goods for sale to local contacts.Among other acts, Palmer admitted to participating in the robbery of a tractor trailer carrying commercial refrigerators on April 1, 2023, during which he and others attacked and injured the driver, and to participating in the theft of over $230,000 worth of U.S. dimes on April 13, 2023. The members of the conspiracy committed numerous other thefts, stealing goods with a total estimated value of more than $1.5 million from more than 10 victims.This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Bowerman and Christopher Diviny.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice