Press Release
Farmington Hills Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Stealing Cars from Silverdome
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan
DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was sentence to 8 years in prison for conspiring to steal Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from a lot in Pontiac yesterday, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County.
In April, after a 13-day trial, a jury convicted Romane Porter, 47, of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles and transportation of stolen vehicles. The evidence presented during trial showed that for approximately six months in 2017, Porter and co-defendant Daniel Onorati conspired with each other and others to steal approximately 61 recalled Volkswagen and Audi cars that were parked at the site of the former Pontiac Silverdome.
“This defendant orchestrated a large-scale conspiracy to brazenly steal recalled vehicles and sell them across state lines,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This sentence reflects the seriousness with which we address fraud, and the work done to achieve the result in this case further demonstrates the strong collaboration and coordination between our local and federal law enforcement partners.”
In addition to the 97-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood ordered Porter to pay
$683,080 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison.
"The sentencing of Romane Porter sends a stark reminder that those individuals who conspire to commit fraud and theft, will face the highest penalties under the law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The joint investigative work of the FBI's Detroit Fraud & Financial Crimes Task Force, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft unit, and the diligent prosecution from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan, disrupted an elaborate theft scheme orchestrated by this bad actor. The FBI in Michigan will continue to investigate and arrest individuals who engage in criminal acts.”
“I am grateful for the partnership between our Auto Theft Unit, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s Office who brought this organized auto theft activity to a close,” said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “These individuals were bold in their behavior in stealing such a large volume of vehicles from a well-known location. These criminals deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit. The team was also assisted by the Special Investigations Section, Office of Investigative Services of the Michigan Department of State, as well as the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trevor Broad and Louis Meizlish
Updated September 20, 2024
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