A 31-yr-previous man stole dozens of guns and a huge amount of money of ammunition whilst performing at a countrywide transport company’s Fridley facility, according to federal prosecutors.
Jason T. Cikotte, of Isanti, Minn., was charged in U.S. District Court in St. Paul final with possession of stolen firearms in relationship with the thefts of guns from XPO Logistics.
Cikotte was arrested final 7 days, appeared in court docket and was produced on his personal recognizance ahead of one more hearing on Friday. His lawyer, Kirk Anderson, mentioned Monday that “these are only allegations at this issue, and Mr. Cikotte is entitled to the presumption of innocence.”
The prison complaint pointed out that Cikotte worked right away as a body weight inspector and experienced “minor to no supervision at do the job [and] would have no motive to open the pallets of firearms as portion of his standard employment duties.”
Cikotte was fired, said Joe Checkler, spokesman for Connecticut-based XPO Logistics. Checkler did not say irrespective of whether Cikotte resigned or was fired.
According to prosecutors:
In August 2021, law enforcement commenced being notified of gun thefts from XPO Logistics shipments intended for firearms sellers.
On March 9, XPO Logistics instructed the federal Bureau of Liquor, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that yet another 11 semiautomatics pistols have been stolen from a latest shipment.
The company’s protection supervisor later notified law enforcement that it identified Cikotte as the human being who’s been stealing guns from shipments for just about a yr.
The safety supervisor supplied investigators with movie evidence demonstrating Cikotte taking away packing containers of firearms from shrink-wrapped pallets, getting the guns out of bins and placing them in his car.
Law enforcement searched Cikotte’s home in Isanti and located about 40 guns, all apparently stolen from his employer. Also seized had been tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, and several firearms elements and equipment.
Next the look for, Cikotte admitted to stealing everything the look for turned up. The grievance did not say what Cikotte meant to with the guns.