A Maryland man has been handed a prison sentence exceeding two years for his role in a high-stakes robbery from a Wrentham high-end outlet store. Nathaniel Owens, 33, was sentenced to 30 months in federal custody following his guilty plea earlier this year on charges related to transporting stolen goods across state lines.
The U.S. District Court in Boston saw Judge Indira Talwani preside over the sentencing where Owens was also compelled to settle a restitution of $32,000 to the Gucci outlet he had victimized. The prosecution claims that Owens, along with Linworth Hayes Crawford III and possibly other accomplices, had specifically traveled from the D.C. area to Massachusetts purely to commit the burglary. According to a statement, on September 17, 2021, the group forcibly gained entry into the store by shattering the front glass door and promptly lifted merchandise, including designer handbags and sunglasses, worth tens of thousands.
The investigation drew upon mall security footage showing Owens at the scene and also captured the getaway car crossing the George Washington Bridge post-heist. Owens' involvement was further implicated when one of his co-defendants was filmed by a separate security camera closely inspecting a Gucci bag taken from their vehicle, alongside another cohort brazenly advertising stolen bags on social media almost immediately after the robbery.
During the sentencing, Owens did not dispute government allegations that he had participated in approximately 10 other burglaries of similar nature along the East Coast, amassing a haul rumored to run into the hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, Crawford, who admitted his role in February 2024, was sentenced to a mere eight months' imprisonment after being implicated in only one additional burglary. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division, Jodi Cohen, acknowledged the cooperation of the Wrentham Police Department in an announcement made yesterday. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin was recognized for leading the prosecution on this Major Crimes Unit case.
While Owens' and Crawford's fates are decided, it is important to remember that these details, which finger more individuals in the crime, remain allegations. The accused are considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the judicial process. Final judgement on the remaining suspects will unfold in the courtroom, once their trials eventually take place.
