A Brown County man was arrested Wednesday for his part in a national catalytic converter theft ring. 40 year-old John Charles Kotten was arrested without incident on state charges of stolen property. A federal search warrant was issued and investigators say Kotten was present when two stolen vehicles were discovered at the location of the warrant.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office and Sleepy Eye Police Department also executed multiple search warrants leading up to Kotten’s arrest. Local, state and federal officials worked together to compile warrants and evidence to crackdown on the catalytic converter theft ring.
The Justice Department described the operation as a ‘takedown’ of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors involved in selling stolen catalytic converters to a metal refiner for tens of millions of dollars.
