Four Individuals Charged in Scheme to Burglarize United Parcel Service Warehouses Across United States

NEWARK, N.J. – Four Philadelphia men were charged for their roles in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (UPS) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of approximately $1.6 million worth of merchandise, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Aboudramane Karamoko, 20, Sekou Fofanah, 20, Shamaire Brown, 19, and Quamaire Brown, 19, all of Philadelphia, were charged by complaint in the District of New Jersey with one count of conspiracy to commit cargo theft. Karamoko was arrested on Nov. 15, 2023, in State College, Pennsylvania, and had his initial appearance in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Nov. 15, 2023. Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, and Quamaire Brown were arrested on Nov. 16, 2023, in Philadelphia and had their initial appearances in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. All four defendants were detained.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From January 2021 through April 2023, the defendants and others conspired to commit burglaries of UPS facilities throughout the United States, including warehouses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island. The four defendants and their conspirators would enter a targeted UPS facility – usually from late Saturday night into Sunday morning – by breaking the window of the loading bay door or by prying the loading bay door up so that a conspirator smaller in stature could squeeze through. Once inside, the defendants and their conspirators would look for parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that they contained high-value electronic devices, such as a cell phone. The defendants and their conspirators would take the packages, which typically contained Apple products or other electronic devices, and would then flee by vehicle or on foot when law enforcement arrived. On at least one occasion, the defendants also stole a firearm from a UPS warehouse.

The charge of conspiracy to commit cargo theft carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the South Brunswick Police Department; Warwick, Rhode Island, Police Department; Clarkstown, New York, Police Department; Livonia, Michigan, Police Department; State College Police Department; New York State Police; Fulton County Sheriff’s Office; Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia; Homeland Security Investigations New England; New Jersey State Police; Philadelphia Police Department; Pennsylvania State Police; Ohio State Highway Patrol; Taylor Police Department; Brookfield Police Department; Summit County Prosecutor’s Office; and Centre County District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake A. Nasar and Sophie Kaiser of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.