A Jamaica man faces up to four years behind bars for exchanging stolen vans with a scrap yard for cash.
Azim Salaam, 43, of South Road was sentenced this week to two to four years behind bars. He was convicted last month of charges including fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree falsifying business records and third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle.
According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown’s office, Salaam brought in a total of five Ford Econoline vans to a scrap yard in Ozone Park between June 17 and 27, 2016. Each van was previously reported stolen to authorities.
Salaam used falsified records and his driver’s license in order to complete each sale, Brow noted. He received cash in exchange for each vehicle.
On two of the occasions, Salaam worked with two other individuals to complete the sales with falsified forms. Jamaica men Keith Royster and Steven Fields each pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession and were sentenced to one year in jail.
“This defendant, who purportedly had a drug problem, supported his habit at the expense of the rightful owners of the stolen Econoline vans,” Brown said. “The sentence meted out by the court is more than warranted.”
