Philadelphia man sentenced to 121 months for $1.5 million cargo theft

Haneef Palmer, 33, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for his role in a cargo theft conspiracy that targeted tractor-trailers in the Philadelphia area. The scheme, which occurred between January 1 and July 31, 2023, resulted in the theft of more than $1.5 million in goods, including televisions, crab legs, and a shipment of U.S. dimes valued at over $230,000.

According to federal prosecutors, the conspiracy involved more than 10 victims. Participants targeted unattended trailers or those where drivers were sleeping, using tools such as bolt cutters to access the cargo before selling the items to local contacts. Palmer admitted to participating in a robbery on April 1, 2023, where he and others attacked and injured a driver during the theft of commercial refrigerators.

In addition to his prison sentence, Palmer was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,080,786.44 in restitution. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department.