Press Release
☷New Haven Man Admits Stealing and Selling Catalytic Converters
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( By Press Release office)
Mar 29,2024
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Vanessa Roberts Avery , a United States Attorney , announced that MICHAEL ALMODOVAR , also known as “Eme ElColorado , ” a 30 - year - old resident of New Haven , pleaded guilty today before U . S . District Judge Sarala V . Nagala in Hartford for his involvement in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring . According to court documents and statements made in court , law enforcement has been investigating the theft of catalytic converters from cars all over Connecticut . Catalytic converters hold valuable metals , can be easily taken from a vehicle , and are hard to track , which makes them attractive to thieves . Currently , the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranges from $300 to $1 , 500 , depending on the model and metal type . The investigation discovered that Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC ( “Downpipe Depot” ) , located on Park Avenue in East Hartford , was buying stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves , including Almodovar . They would then transport and sell the converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey . Business records seized during the investigation showed that between March 2022 and May 2022 , Downpipe Depot paid Almodovar $34 , 445 for the stolen converters . In one incident , while Almodovar was stealing a catalytic converter from a parked car , a witness interrupted him and took pictures with his cellphone . Almodovar responded by attacking the witness , breaking his car window , cutting him with the saw he used for stealing , and then fleeing . The next day , Almodovar sold six converters to Downpipe Depot for $2 , 180 . Almodovar pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines , which carries a maximum sentence of five years , and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property , which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years . Sentencing is scheduled for June 18 . Almodovar was arrested on November 28 , 2023 , and is currently in custody awaiting sentencing . This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives ( ATF ) , the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division ( IRS - CI ) , and the East Hartford Police Department . The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U . S . Attorneys Lauren C . Clark and A . Reed Durham .
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