TAYLOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Two men are facing federal charges, accused of buying stolen electronics and sending them across the country from a Taylor cell phone store.
Frank Manni Jr. And Abdulsamed Montaser are accused running the operation out of Ace Future Wireless, a cell phone store/repair shop on Eureka. They are both facing charges of conspiracy, transportation of stolen goods and sale or receipt of stolen goods.
Federal agents say an investigation by the FBI and Homeland Security determined that Manni and Montaser would fraudulent obtain the electronics, which were mostly iPhones, and then sell them for profit and then sent them to other states link Arizona and Ohio.
Among the stolen goods they are alleged to have taken in are at lease five iPads that were stolen from an elementary school in Romulus. Federal agents say they were told about Ace Future Wireless by an individual involved in that theft who admitted selling five of the iPads to the store.
Investigators with Homeland Security then interviewed a suspect who admitted to fraudulently obtaining iPhones from Walmart, Sam's Club and Target stores, five of which he said he soled to Ace Future Wireless.
Further investigation, including the use of an undercover agent who sold iPhones to Ace Future Wireless, determined that more than 100 iPhones were shipped to Arizona and Ohio.
