On Thursday, inside a Fresno County federal courtroom, George Thomas received a sentence of 10 years in prison.
The 72-year-old started his organized crime ring in 2019 throughout the Fresno-Clovis area.
Investigators say between January 2021 through November 2022, Thomas bought and resold 9,500 converters.
His payout was over $2.7 million dollars.
As the ringleader, Thomas would instruct thieves on the type of converters he was searching for, even detailing how to best cut and remove converters from underneath vehicles.
"This investigation was initiated by reports of suspicious activity from residents in both Fresno and Clovis," said Detective Corporal Kedric Anderson of the Clovis Police Department. "Their vigilance was crucial in getting this case started."
"Because of the impact that had on the community, the businesses that were affected that was over $20 million in damage that the people lost," said assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Sanchez.
Thomas was arrested in the Spring of 2023 and shortly after, catalytic converter theft decreased by 90 percent.
Thomas will report to prison on November 1.