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CONCORD — A Mass. man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for auto parts thefts from Portsmouth Ford as part of a multi-state crime operation.
Darren Barboza, 44, of Quincy, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney John P. Kacavas.
Police began the investigation in July 2009, when the Spaulding Turnpike auto dealership first reported the theft of auto parts. In addition to GPS devices, car doors, exhaust systems and other parts were also reported stolen from the dealership.
Federal authorities announced Thursday that Portsmouth Ford was burglarized multiple times between July 2009 and April 2010, with more than 60 factory installed GPS navigation/satellite radio systems, rims, tires, tailgates and other vehicle parts stolen. The average value of the GPS navigation/satellite radio systems was in excess of $3,000 and the total value of stolen or damaged property exceeded $200,000, according to prosecutors.
The case was cracked, according to police, when detective Kristyn Bernier used seized drug money to buy a stolen GPS device, “which served to assist in identifying Mr. Barboza and has led to the suspicion of his involvement in other cases across the region.” Bernier was the lead local investigator and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of the Framingham, Auburn, Quincy and Stoneham police departments, said police.
Capt. Corey MacDonald previously told the Herald Barboza and unidentified co-conspirators operated “an interstate theft ring out of Massachusetts” and “targeted numerous car dealerships throughout New England.” Barboza is alleged to have trafficked stolen GPS devices “as well as other vehicle parts and accessories across state lines,” said the police captain.
According to federal prosecutors, Barboza drove to New Hampshire to steal the parts while Portsmouth Ford was closed for business. He would then transport them to Mass. for delivery to an intermediary who sold them to individuals who sold them again on the Internet.
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