Philadelphia Man Sentenced To 39 Months’ Imprisonment For Conspiracy To Burglarize Ups Warehouses; Others Previously Sentenced

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today on conspiracy charges related to his role in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (“UPS”) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of over $1.6 million worth of merchandise, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Aboudramane Karamoko, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Bumb in Camden, New Jersey.

Three other defendants, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced previously before Chief Judge Bumb.  Specifically, Sekou Fofanah, 20, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release; Shamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release; and Quamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.

As part of their sentences, all four defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,600,157.

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

Beginning at least as early as January 2021 through at least as recently as April 2023, Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, Aboudramane Karamoko, 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, among other States.  The defendants gained access to the UPS facilities by breaking the windows of the loading bay doors or by prying open the loading bay doors. Once inside, they sought parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that the packages contained high-value electronic devices such as a cell phones. Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, and Aboudramane Karamoko each admitted that they participated in the burglary of at least 55 UPS facilities and stole items valued at approximately $1,600,157.00.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation.  Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also acknowledged South Brunswick Police Department, Warwick Rhode Island Police Department, Clarkstown New York Police Department, Livonia, Michigan Police Department, HSI State College, State College Police Department, New York State Police, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island, 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. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsels:

Anthony Iacullo, Esq. (for Sekou Fofanah)

Gary Mizzone, Esq. (for Quamaire Brown)

Stephen Natoli, Esq. (for Shamaire Brown)

Joel Silberman, Esq. (for Aboudramane Karamoko)