Group Steals Millions In Scrap From US Steel
In August of 2022 the Portage Police Department received a report regarding the theft of a load of scrap metal referred to as “slitter” belonging to U.S. Steel.
As the case was being investigated by The Portage Detective Bureau, it was discovered that numerous other loads of scrap metal (slitter) had been stolen from the same Portage location.
The slitter should have been transported to the U.S. Steel Gary Works plant from the Portage location for recycling, but evidence showed that several sub-contracted employees of U.S. Steel were diverting loads of slitter to a local recycling company, selling the scrap, and keeping the proceeds.
The scrap yard owner cooperated with the investigation and provided business records linking the suspects to the thefts. Subpoenas were issued for the suspects’ financial records which also linked them to this crime, Portage Police said.
It was determined that between August 2020 and August 2022 the group stole over twenty million pounds of slitter and profited nearly two million dollars in this scheme. At this time, six suspects have been charged and taken into custody.
They are:
Wardell W. Brown -49 years old
Calumet City, Illinois
Theft Greater Than $50,000 Level 5 Felony
Jacob A. Reynolds – 34 years old
Cedar Lake, Indiana
Theft Greater Than $50,000Level 5 Felony
Joshua C. Riddle – 36 years old
Hammond, Indiana
Theft Greater Than $50,000 Level 5 Felony
Check Fraud Level 5 Felony
Marland Barner – 51 years old
Sauk Village, Illinois
Theft Greater Than $50,000 Level 5 Felony
John Russell Smith Jr. – 44 years old
Crown Point, Indiana
Theft Greater than $50,000Level 5 Felony
Nine (9) counts of Check Fraud Level 6 Felony
Rafael A. Berrios Jr. – 39 years old
Portage,Indiana
Theft Greater Than $50,000 Level 5 Felony
