Arrests follow 13 month joint investigation by state and federal agencies.
(Louisville, Ky.)— Two Chicago men have been indicted by the United States District Court in Louisville following a 13-month joint investigation by the Kentucky State Police Vehicle Investigations Branch, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Illinois State Police, CargoNet and the FBI. The indictments stem from multiple cargo thefts referred to as fictitious pick ups. In these cases, the suspects used fraudulent documents and information to steal a wide variety of products in multiple states including four thefts in Kentucky.
Beginning in July 2014, KSP Det. Israel Slinker investigated thefts from a tire company and two alcohol distribution companies. KSP Vehicle Investigations identified a location and subsequently a suspect in the thefts. They were assisted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, which was investigating a theft of copper. One suspect was identified and linked to multiple videos and pictures obtained during the investigation.
Tomas Sarasevicius, 34, of Chicago, was arrested in Chicago and extradited to Georgia. During this time, another suspect was identified and detained on an outstanding warrant from Georgia. Vismantas Danyla, 34, of Chicago, was also extradited to Georgia on the pending charges.
Det. Slinker, along with the FBI and the Illinois State Police, was able to recover some of the stolen property in Chicago after executing the search warrants.
On August 19th, 2015, both Sarasevicius and Danyla were indicted by a federal grand jury. They have been charged with Theft of Interstate Shipment by carrier. They remain incarcerated at this time in Carroll County Georgia.
