Federal officials say a crew of 12 turned Nike’s North American logistics hub in Memphis into the center of a national cargo theft operation, quietly shipping millions of dollars in sneakers and other merchandise around the country. The indictments, unsealed Tuesday, cap a multi-year FBI Cargo Theft Task Force investigation into what prosecutors describe as an organized scheme built around the massive distribution center.
Key Details From The Indictment
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, a federal grand jury returned the indictments on May 21, 2026. Prosecutors say the alleged conspiracy ran from July 2021 through about June 19, 2024, and involved at least $2 million in stolen Nike product. All 12 defendants are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce.
Who’s Charged
The indictment names a dozen people from Memphis and several other cities, including Roy Harvey Jr., Bereket Abraham and Jorge Cuellar of Los Angeles; Joel Deluna of Chicago; Michael Perkins of Olive Branch, Mississippi; Marquesio Robinson of Charlestown, Indiana; and Memphis residents Keith Cannon, Cadarian Mack, Julian Baker, Cortez Spencer, Roderico McClellan and Damon Johnson, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Prosecutors charge each of them with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce.
How Prosecutors Say The Scheme Worked
Investigators say members of the group identified desirable product inside the Nike warehouse, then attached shipping labels that rerouted boxes to predetermined drop points around the country. Co-conspirators allegedly retrieved those shipments and resold the merchandise, according to court filings.
“Organized cargo theft does not just steal products, it steals time, trust and profitability across the entire supply chain,” Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI’s Nashville Field Office said, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Why It Matters
Federal and industry officials have warned that organized theft rings targeting distribution hubs can send shockwaves through supply chains and online resale markets, driving costs and complicating logistics far beyond the warehouse floor. A recent Senate hearing on organized theft, documented by Congress.gov, examined how criminal networks exploit rail and warehouse operations, underscoring why investigators pay such close attention to distribution centers like those in Memphis.
What’s Next
The case is pending in federal court in Memphis, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Navy JAG Corps are handling the case, and officials have directed media with questions to contact the office’s public affairs team.
