- A Michigan man has been sentenced for his role in stealing 61 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles from the Pontiac Silverdome in 2017.
- The vehicles were involved in the Dieselgate scandal and, once stolen, they were transported out of state to be sold.
- Romane Porter was sentenced to 97 months in prison and he’ll have to pay back $683,080 in restitution.
Volkswagen’s Dieselgate scandal impacted nearly 500,000 vehicles in the United States and this presented a huge logistical problem as the company needed to find a place to stash them. One such location was the Pontiac Silverdome, which used to be home to the Detroit Lions.
The then dilapidated football stadium could hold thousands of cars in its parking lot and was just a stone’s throw away from Volkswagen Group of America’s campus in Auburn Hills. While the Silverdome was convenient, it wasn’t exactly secure and that’s clear as 47-year-old Romane Porter was recently sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in stealing approximately 61 recalled Audi and Volkswagen vehicles.
More: Two Michigan Men Charged With Stealing 61 Dieselgate VW And Audi Models
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Porter and Daniel Onorati conspired with others to steal dozens of vehicles from the Silverdome over six months in 2017. These vehicles would then be transported out of Michigan, where they were sold.
Porter was convicted by a jury in April of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles and transportation of stolen vehicles. Following their verdict, U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood sentenced Porter to 97 months in prison and slapped him with $683,080 (£512,730 / €613,535) in restitution. When he’s eventually released, he’ll be supervised for the next three years.
Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, said “The sentencing of Romane Porter sends a stark reminder that those individuals who conspire to commit fraud and theft, will face the highest penalties under the law.” He went on to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft unit for helping to disrupt “an elaborate theft scheme orchestrated by this bad actor.”
In an ironic twist of fate, Porter was hit with stiffer penalties than the former general manager of Volkswagen AG’s U.S. Environment and Engineering Office. In 2017, the Justice Department announced Oliver Schmidt was sentenced to 84 months in prison and a criminal penalty of $400,000 (£300,252 / €359,308) for his role in the Dieselgate scandal.