KEW GARDENS — A Bronx man was convicted Monday for his role in a major auto theft conspiracy, the Queens district attorney said.
Pedro Puello, 34, of East 166th Street, faces up to 25 years in prison for his conviction on enterprise corruption, conspiracy and other charges when he is set to be sentenced Jan. 5, Queens DA Richard Brown said.
Puello and five others were part of a plan that involved the theft of dozens of Lincoln Town Cars and other automobiles and distribution of the cars parts, according to Brown.
He would give the parts at either a low cost or no value to Saleem Latif, one of the five other participants of the scheme and an owner of a livery cab service, who used it for his business, the DA said.
Latif and the four other conspirators, who turned their vehicles over to the ring and then falsely reported their vehicles as stolen to reap insurance settlements, pleaded guilty, Brown said.
