Member of the Simple City Criminal Organization Pleads Guilty to a Racketeering Conspiracy

Greenbelt, Maryland – Stefon Janey, a/k/a “Stef,” and “Stef Luva,” age 23, of Marlow Heights, Maryland pleaded guilty today to conspiring to participate in the activities of the Simple City Criminal Organization (SCCO), a racketeering enterprise engaged in fraud and related activity in connection with access devices, wire fraud, bank fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, from at least 2009 to July 2015, the conspirators met on a regular basis, and planned criminal activity, including vehicle theft, the interstate transportation of stolen property, identity theft and access device fraud.  The SCCO received money and income from criminal activities, including the sale of motor vehicles and stolen property by other SCCO members, as well as bank fraud, wire fraud and access device fraud.

More specifically, on March 30, 2015, Janey and a coconspirator attempted to steal money from two ATMs located on Piney Orchard Parkway in Odenton, Maryland.

On April 18, 2015, Janey and another coconspirator robbed a gas station located on Baltimore Avenue in Beltsville, Maryland.  They used a crowbar to forcibly enter the employee vestibule area, and took an employee’s cell phone and money from the cash register.  Janey and the coconspirator also forced opened an ATM in the gas station.  They fled in an Acura MDX that had previously been stolen in Prince George’s County.

On May 14, 2014, Janey and two coconspirators attempted to steal money from an ATM located in a furniture warehouse in College Park, Maryland.

Janey faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for July 26, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

Co-defendant Jessica Rubio, age 38, of Washington, D.C. previously pleaded guilty to her participation in the racketeering conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft.  Judge Hazel has scheduled her sentencing for June 3, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department and the members of the Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement Unit for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Nicolas A. Mitchell, who are prosecuting the case.