In a significant case of international car theft, Karim Abdul Turay, a 31-year-old resident of Prince George’s County, Maryland, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte for Turay's involvement in a conspiracy to transport stolen motor vehicles and possession of stolen motor vehicles.

The announcement was made by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, Port of Baltimore Director Adam Rottman of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Colonel Joseph F. Scott.

According to the plea agreement, Turay’s illegal activities spanned from approximately September 2019 to June 2022. He, along with his co-conspirators, fraudulently rented vehicles from major car rental companies such as Hertz and Avis, using false identifications and credit cards. These rentals occurred in various locations including Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The stolen vehicles were transported to Maryland where they were concealed in large cargo shipping containers. These containers were then taken to the Port of Baltimore. Using falsified declaration forms and other deceptive paperwork, Turay and his accomplices successfully exported these vehicles to West Africa, where they were sold. Law enforcement agencies have identified over 40 vehicles that were either exported or were attempted to be exported as part of this scheme.

Turay’s accomplices have also faced justice. Jonathan Davis, a 39-year-old resident of Laurel, Maryland, pled guilty to receipt and possession of stolen vehicles and received a 13-month federal prison sentence. Rodley Balthazar, another co-conspirator aged 30 and also from Laurel, pled guilty to the same charges as Turay and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the efforts of the HSI Border Enforcement Security Task Force and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police in this investigation. He also expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Timothy F. Hagan for their roles in prosecuting the case.