12 Charged in $2 Million Nike Cargo Theft in Memphis

Twelve individuals are indicted for their roles in a $2 million theft scheme targeting Nike’s logistics center in Memphis, TN.

In a significant crackdown on organized crime, twelve individuals have been indicted in connection with an alleged theft scheme that targeted Nike’s logistics center in Memphis, TN. The U.S. Justice Department announced the charges yesterday, stemming from a multi-year investigation conducted by the FBI’s Cargo Theft Task Force along with U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee.

The indictment named the twelve defendants: Roy Harvey, Jr., Bereket Abraham, Jorge Cuellar, Keith Cannon, Cadarian Mack, Julian Baker, Cortex Spencer, Roderico McClellan, Damon Johnson, Joel Deluna, Michael Perkins, and Marquesio Robinson. These individuals are accused of conspiring to steal and resell Nike products across the country.

The investigation revealed a well-organized operation from July 2021 to June 2024, wherein the suspects reportedly identified desired Nike products that they would smuggle out of the logistics center. They transported the stolen merchandise to predetermined locations for resale, accumulating approximately $2 million in stolen goods during this period.

“Memphis is proudly known as ‘America’s Distribution Center,’ and organized cargo theft conspiracies disrupt and harm crucial interstate commerce and businesses here in West Tennessee and across America. In order to protect the critical economic and logistics infrastructure of Memphis, we will always aggressively prosecute those who threaten it,” Dunavant stated.

A federal grand jury formally indicted the twelve individuals on May 21 for conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, and one defendant also faces individual charges for interstate transportation of stolen property. The case is currently under examination by U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker.

This incident is part of a larger issue of cargo theft in the region, further evidenced by other recent cases involving substantial thefts of Nike products. In a related incident, a former DHL employee was arrested for allegedly stealing about $60,000 in Nike goods from the company’s shipping warehouse in Memphis.

The ongoing investigations reflect a concerted effort by law enforcement to combat cargo theft, which has been on the rise in recent years as criminal enterprises take advantage of logistical vulnerabilities.