Union County Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-State Luxury Car Theft Ring

Malik Baker and Co-Conspirators Stole High-End Vehicles from NY, CT, and NJ, Using Them in Further Crimes; Some Cars Bound for Africa

Morristown, NJ – Malik Baker, a 29-year-old resident of Vauxhall, Union County, admitted to his involvement in an interstate car theft ring that spanned New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Baker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles and receiving a stolen vehicle that crossed state lines.

U.S. District Judge Esther Salas oversaw the admission of guilt at the Newark federal court earlier today. Baker was charged with one count of conspiring to transport stolen vehicles across state lines and one count of receiving a stolen vehicle that had crossed state lines after being stolen.

Three other individuals, Hakeem Smith, Nafique Goodwyn, and Bilal Cureton, had previously entered guilty pleas for related crimes. Smith has already been sentenced to 41 months in prison, while sentencing for Goodwyn and Cureton is still pending.

The group stole at least 10 luxury cars from various towns in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey since July 2019. The stolen vehicles were hidden in a location in Irvington, NJ. Among the cars stolen were high-end models such as a 2019 BMW X4 M40i, a 2017 Maserati GranTurismo, and a 2019 Rolls Royce.

"In some instances, the defendants used stolen vehicles to commit additional thefts, escalating the level of criminal activity," said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.

Law enforcement recovered one of the stolen cars in a shipping container at the port in Newark en route to Ghana, Africa, highlighting the international scale of the operation.

The crime of conspiring to transport stolen vehicles carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while receiving stolen vehicles has a maximum penalty of 10 years. Both are subject to fines of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the crimes. Baker's sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024.

This case falls under the purview of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark, a partnership aimed at combating violent crimes. Various federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate in this effort, which has been operational since August 2017.

The investigation leading to the charges involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Newark Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police among others. 

"This case exemplifies the strength of inter-agency collaboration in the fight against violent and organized crime," Sellinger added.

The government is represented in this case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Amore, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.