Kentucky Man Admits Stealing Three Motor Homes from Western Michigan RV Dealers |
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Michigan
January 14, 2014
Defendant Admits Using False Identities to Launder the Money from the Sale of the Stolen Motor Homes.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI—Walter J. Nunley, a resident of Kentucky, entered guilty pleas today to all nine felony charges against him in a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell.
Three of the charges were for interstate theft of motor vehicles (motor homes), each of which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Another three charges were for interstate theft of property (the contents of the motor homes), each of which also carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Nunley also pled guilty to conspiring to engage in interstate theft of property, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Each of these six charges carry a fine of $250,000. With regard to the money laundering, Nunley also admitted at his guilty plea hearing to engaging in a money laundering conspiracy to conceal or hide the proceeds he obtained from the sale of the stolen motor homes. That offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. Finally, Nunley pled guilty to making false statements to a federal agent, which offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A $100 special assessment is imposed for each count of conviction. Nunley agreed to restitution and forfeiture in connection with the nine charges of conviction.
Nunley admitted that during 2012, he made two trips into Western Michigan to steal motor homes. In March 2012, he stole a motor home from the Holland Motor Home business. In May 2012, he stole two more motor homes from Midway RV Center located in Grand Rapids. As part of the criminal conspiracy, the conspirators stole three additional motor homes from businesses located across the United States. The total losses for the six motor home thefts are estimated to exceed $1,500,000. Nunley admitted that he and another man obtained false titles for the stolen motor homes and then sold them under false identities.
Judge Bell remanded Nunley to custody following the guilty plea hearing. No date has yet been set for the sentencing hearing.
The FBI has been handling the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike MacDonald is the prosecutor.