U.S. Attorney says Tulsa police tipped them off to dramatic rise in catalytic converter thefts

TULSA, Okla. — Federal authorities say local law enforcement played an important role in spurring a federal investigation into an alleged catalytic converter theft ring spanning multiple states.

U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma said that when people hear about a catalytic converter theft ring, they usually think of low-level property crimes.

What he’s been investigating, however, over the past nine to ten months is part of a huge, multi-state, multi-district criminal conspiracy involving tens of millions of dollars. And he said it all started with a tip from the Tulsa Police Department.

“This is a nationwide takedown involving over $545 million of catalytic converter theft,” Johnson said.

Federal and local investigators executed 32 search warrants in nine states on Wednesday. Johnson said two indictments were unsealed including one in Tulsa.

Johnson said the Northern District of Oklahoma office got involved, after talking with the Tulsa Police Department:

“It was brought to our attention, from the Tulsa Police Department, two officers realizing that catalytic converter thefts had increased over 700% in the last year,” Johnson explained. “Last year alone, there were 2,000 catalytic converters stolen in the Tulsa metro/surrounding community areas.”

Johnson said they were asked to get involved by TPD, they brought in Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS, realizing it was a nationwide scheme.

Catalytic converters contain heavy metals including platinum, palladium, and rhodium which sell for more than $1,000 an ounce on the black market, according to Johnson.

Johnson said Tyler Curtis, who was operating Curtis Cores LLC out of the building in Coweta where Wednesday’s raid took place, is considered one of the local ringleaders.

According to the indictment, Curtis received stolen catalytic converters from low-level intermediate buyers in Texas, Kansas, New York, Arkansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, Louisiana, Missouri and other states.

He would then drive stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto in New Jersey, using private and rented vehicles.

“He had a web of individuals in numerous areas that were cutting these things off, and then semi-truckloads full of catalytic converters,” Johnson said.

Johnson said there were about three semi-trucks full of catalytic converters in evidence recovery from his business in Coweta.

“He could truck them in there, put them all together, or he might just have separate shipments running all the way straight up to New Jersey,” Johnson said.

Curtis has been charged with conspiracy for agreeing to receive and sell stolen catalytic converters, he also faces charges of selling and receiving stolen goods and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

His wife Reiss Biby and Benjamin Mansour of Bixby are among seven other defendants from Green Country. All eight have entered not guilty pleas in federal court during their initial appearances on Wednesday.

Johnson said the investigation is ongoing, and he hopes it sends a message:

“Law enforcement and the community is not going to allow individuals to just take other people’s catalytic converters,” he said. “We want to use it as a deterrent.”

Curtis is accused of receiving about $13.5 million in wired funds for the shipment of catalytic converters.

Johnson said Curtis is accused of using the money he was getting from DG Auto to pay his cutters, who took the actual catalytic converters.

Curtis, who has a detention hearing next Tuesday, has hired an attorney. We reached out to his legal counsel, Robert Van Henson of Henson Law Firm on Friday afternoon, but learned he will be out of the office until Tuesday.

According to Johnson, different defendants played different roles in the conspiracy:

“It’s a complicated conspiracy ring where everybody’s playing a part, but everybody knows what the ultimate goal is, steal catalytic converters, make money, get paid, greed,” he said.