NEWARK, N.J. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - New Jersey), published as received.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Staten Island, New York, man who conspired with others to traffic in stolen goods and merchandise was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Razel Romhein, 49, of Staten Island, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to transport stolen goods. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2011 through May 2013, Romhein and others engaged in a conspiracy to traffic in stolen health and beauty aid products and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. These products were stolen by “boosters” from various places, including retail stores located in New Jersey, and then sold through a series of distributors at a significantly discounted price.  

Romhein operated a warehouse facility in Staten Island, New York that functioned as a “cleaning station” for the stolen products. He arranged for the delivery of stolen merchandise and he and others removed security packaging and other labels from the products that identified the retail stores from which the products were stolen. The products, with an aggregate value of at least approximately $1 million, were then sold for a profit.

In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Romhein to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo; inspectors of U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit.