New Jersey Man Convicted for Stealing Nearly $1 Million in Interstate Cargo

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
December 16, 2010

NEWARK, NJ—A North Bergen, N.J. man was convicted today for organizing a cargo theft ring that stole full tractor-trailers of merchandise from trucking yards in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

The jury returned a guilty verdict against Hamad Siyam, 42, following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh in Newark federal court. Siyam was convicted of both counts of the Indictment on which he was charged: conspiring to possess goods traveling in interstate commerce and possession of goods traveling in interstate commerce.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

Hamad Siyam was the organizer of a ring that stole tractor-trailers full of merchandise for resale. Needing a place to store the stolen goods while he located buyers, Siyam sought warehouse space through an acquaintance, who he did not know was cooperating with the FBI and the New Jersey State Police’s Cargo Theft Unit.

The FBI and State Police established an undercover warehouse in Sayreville, N.J., and installed the cooperating witness (“CW”) as warehouse manager. Thereafter, four tractor-trailers were driven to the undercover warehouse, including trailers filled with bed linens, merchandise destined for Home Goods stores; food; and clothing destined for Burlington Coat Factory stores around the country. In total, the stolen merchandise had a value of nearly $1 million.

Due in large measure to the work of the CW, Siyam was caught on video inventorying the stolen goods and on audio discussing them.

The conspiracy count on which Siyam was convicted carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The possession count carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for March 28, 2011.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, for the investigation leading to the Indictment.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Vartan and Jacob T. Elberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Paul Condon, Esq., Jersey City, N.J.