One-time KY Toyota plant worker admits stealing equipment feds say totaled $1.2 million.
A one-time employee of the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky plant in Georgetown has admitted stealing electronic equipment from the factory and selling it on the internet.
Randall Perry was indicted a year ago on 14 charges of mail fraud for allegedly mailing stolen equipment such as laser scanners to customers in other states.
He pleaded guilty to one charge of mailing a stolen automation controller from the post office in Cynthiana to a customer in Texas in October 2017.
It is typical for federal prosecutors to drop charges against a defendant as part of a plea bargain.
Perry stole equipment from the factory from November 2015 through November 2017 and sold it through online sites such as eBay, the indictment charged.
Perry received a total of $254,799 for the stolen equipment and has agreed to pay a judgment of that amount as part of his plea, according to the court record.
However, prosecutors plan to argue that the equipment was worth far more. If the judge agrees, that will affect Perry’s potential sentence.
Prosecutors will argue restitution to Toyota should be $1.2 million.
Perry disagrees and may argue for a lower restitution amount, according to the plea agreement.
Perry pleaded guilty June 22 in federal court in Lexington. U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell scheduled him to be sentenced in September.
The top sentence on the charge would be 20 years, but Perry’s sentence will likely be less under sentencing guidelines.
