HARRISBURG, Pa. — A New York man had pleaded guilty to crossing state lines in order to steal money from businesses in Pennsylvania, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced yesterday.
Roland Jose Pena, 46, of the Bronx, was part of a theft ring that targeted businesses across Pennsylvania, including two in Harrisburg.
Pena and his co-conspirators stole from gas stations located at 4701 Jonestown Road and 4811 Derby Street, according to a court filing. They then took the money back to New York and deposited it into banks.
As part of his plea, Pena agreed that the ring had stolen at least $550,000 between April 2022 and March 2023.
Pena pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of interstate transportation of stolen money and conspiracy to transport stolen money in interstate commerce. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both.
The theft ring, which includes both known and unknown suspects, is also accused of stealing from dozens of gaming machines in Virginia and other parts of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service worked with local police departments to investigate the thefts.
