Resident Of Great Britain Sentenced For Stealing Camera Equipment From A Bethesda Production Company

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Darren Oliver Raymond Charles Defoe, age 40, a citizen and resident of Great Britain, today to a year and a day in prison for interstate transportation of property taken by fraud. Judge Titus also entered an order that Defoe pay $275,000 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

Visual Edge Productions was a business located in Bethesda, Maryland, specializing in providing rental cameras and filming equipment. According to his plea agreement, on February 12, 2011, Defoe and a conspirator flew from Heathrow to Dulles airports and arrived at Visual Edge in Bethesda. Defoe and the conspirator took possession of Visual Edge camera equipment pursuant to a rental agreement. On February 13 to 14, they flew back to Heathrow Airport with the rented camera equipment, valued at approximately $275,000, knowing that they had stolen the equipment.

Co-defendant William Henry Stickland, age 40, also a citizen and resident of Great Britain, was charged with conspiracy and interstate transportation of property taken by fraud in connection with this scheme. The government intends to seek extradition of Stickland.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the HSI Baltimore and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom, who prosecuted the case.