A Maryland man has entered a guilty plea in a Boston federal court for his part in a heist that stripped a high-end outlet store in Wrentham, Massachusetts of more than $32,000 in luxury merchandise. Nathaniel Owens, 33, faced the music on April 4, 2024, admitting to counts of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen goods, revealed the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Caught red-handed, the smash-and-grab extravaganza carried out by Owens and his accomplices, Linworth Hayes Crawford III and Ronald Patterson, Jr., hit the Gucci outlet store hard on the night of Sept. 16, 2021. Owens' recognition on mall security footage isn't doing him any favors; the video placed him inside the mall at the Nike Store before the crime took place. In their escape, they were spotted passing through the George Washington Bridge, heading back south, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Not doing much to cover his tracks, Patterson allegedly turned to Instagram the following day to push Gucci bags, matching those pilfered in the burglary, onto potential buyers. Meanwhile, Owens' co-conspirator Crawford had already pled guilty to his role and awaits sentencing on June 3, 2024. Patterson remains in the hot seat with a not-guilty plea as he waits for his trial to commence.
With the gavel set to fall on July 19, 2024, Owens could see a hefty sentence of up to five years for the conspiracy charge and up to 10 years for transportation of stolen goods. Each count also carries the potential for a $250,000 fine, a future shadowed by years of supervised release. While Owens grapples with the weight of his actions, the wheels of justice continue to turn, and Patterson will attempt to disentangle himself from the web of allegations, armored with the presumption of innocence granted until, and unless, guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, alongside FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen, expressed gratitude towards the Wrentham Police Department for their invaluable aid in the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit.
