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Yonkers Man Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of
Armed Robbery, Narcotics Distribution Conspiracy, Auto Theft, and Other Crimes
PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, announced that DIN CELAJ was
convicted today, after a two-week jury trial, of various crimes
including multiple robbery and firearms offenses, a marijuana
distribution conspiracy, and offenses relating to the theft of
luxury cars. According to documents filed in this case, as well
as the evidence presented at trial before United States District
Judge ROBERT P. PATTERSON:
DIN CELAJ, 25, of Yonkers, New York, led a crew of
robbers who posed as New York City Police Department officers and
targeted individuals whom they believed to be drug dealers.
CELAJ and others approached individuals in their homes, claiming
to be police and asking for permission to enter. Once inside,
the crew held the targets at gunpoint while taking any drugs or
money found in the home. CELAJ and the crew committed several
successful robberies and burglaries netting more than $1 million
in cash and marijuana. CELAJ also planned and attempted
additional robberies.
CELAJ and his crew were able to successfully
impersonate the police, in part, because CELAJ recruited DARREN
MOONAN, an actual New York City Police Officer based in Queens,
to rob suspected drug dealers with him. MOONAN previously
pleaded guilty to multiple robbery, narcotics and firearms
offenses, and is awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the home robbery offenses, CELAJ was
convicted for stealing and selling more than 20 luxury cars,
including Lexus and Mercedes vehicles. He also took a car to
allow a co-conspirator to fraudulently report it as stolen to an
insurance company, which led to the mail fraud charge.
CELAJ was convicted on one count of robbery conspiracy, three counts of robbery, three counts of possessing firearms in
furtherance of robbery, one count of marijuana distribution
conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to transport vehicles in
interstate commerce, one count of transporting vehicles in
interstate commerce, and one count of mail fraud conspiracy. The
defendant was acquitted of one robbery and one firearms charge.
CELAJ faces a total maximum sentence of life and a
mandatory minimum sentence of at least 50 years in prison at
sentencing, currently scheduled for January 20, 2010, at 4:00
p.m. before Judge PATTERSON. The defendant also faces a maximum
fine of the greatest of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss
from the offense on each charge, except for the marijuana
distribution conspiracy charge, which carries a maximum fine of
$1 million.
Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's New York Field Office, which led the
investigation. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the New York City Police
Department and the Bronx District Attorney's Office for their
assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office's Organized
Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys JOHN T. ZACH and
ARLO DEVLIN-BROWN are in charge of the prosecution.
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