Congress again takes aim at cargo theft
Summary
The bill would further toughen penalties by permitting the aggregation of theft values totaling $5,000 or more over 12 months as a basis for charging under Title 18 sections related the transportation, sale or receipt of stolen goods, lending wide latitude for prosecutors. The legislation was introduced in the U.S. House by Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio), Susie Lee (D-Nevada), David Valadao (R-California), Dina Titus (D-Nevada), Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington), Brad Schneider (D-Illinois), Laurel Lee (R-Florida), and Lou Correa (D-California). Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) introduced the Senate version of the bill. According to the charging document, between about May 2019 and January 2023, Mendes and others conspired to give automatic passing scores to at least 17 CDL applicants on their skills tests regardless of whether they actually passed, using the code word “golden handshake” or “golden,” for short, to identify applicants who would receive special treatment. False statements charges could each carry five-year prison sentences, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.