Laurel man convicted of conspiring to illegally ship stolen cars to West Africa

(WBFF) — A Laurel man was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for conspiring to illegally ship stolen cars to West Africa, according to the DOJ.

Rodley Balthazar, 30, a Haitian citizen residing in Laurel, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit transportation of stolen motor vehicles and receiving and possessing stolen motor vehicles .

According to his plea agreement, between approximately September 2019 and June 2022, Balthazar worked with others to fraudulently rent vehicles from Hertz, Avis and other car rental companies in Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Tennessee and elsewhere.

He rented these cars using fake IDs and credit cards.

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The vehicles were transported to Maryland where they would be loaded onto large shipping containers and taken to the Port of Baltimore.

Using false declaration forms and other documents to conceal the contents of the containers, the containers would be exported to West Africa by cargo ship where the vehicles could be sold.

Law enforcement is aware that Balthazar and his co-conspirators exported or attempted to export more than 40 vehicles to West Africa.

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Co-conspirator Jonathan Davis, 39, of Laurel, previously pleaded guilty to receiving and possessing stolen vehicles and was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison.

A third co-conspirator, Abdul Turay Jr., pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced July 11.