Man convicted of stealing precious metals from RI facility
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — The North Attleboro man accused of stealing precious metals from the luxury jewelry company her worked for and selling them for personal profit has pleaded guilty Thursday, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.
Benjamin Preacher, 54, was arrested back in March and charged with interstate transportation of stolen goods and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.
Levy said Preacher swiped gold, silver and platinum from a Rhode Island manufacturing facility while working there as a supervisor.
Court documents show Preacher used his position to steal the precious metals and personally sell them to various Massachusetts businesses.
Preacher sold precious metals to a Canton-based dealer once or twice a month over the course of three years, according to Levy. Sales to that dealer alone reportedly topped $1 million.
According to court documents, those sales included:
- $50,521 in 18-carat gold in March 2020
- $21,821 in 18-carat gold, “Platinum scrap” and “Sterling” in April 2021
- $30,939 in platinum in January 2022
Preacher also sold more than $177,000 worth of metals to a separate dealer in West Bridgewater, according to Levy. Those sales included gold sheets used by the manufacturing facility in a particular machine, along with other gold scrap, for $21,000, he added.
Levy said Preacher was captured on security footage in the facility earlier this year stealing a piece of white gold “flat stock” valued at approximately $2,200. Precious metals in scrap form were also found inside Preacher’s home.
Preacher, who had worked for the manufacturing facility since 2018, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 28.
