Two Pittsford men pleaded guilty to their roles in a scheme involving the interstate transportation of stolen, used cooking oil, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Guodeng Chen and Didi Huang each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. to transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
90,000 pounds of stolen cooking oil shipped
On April 8, 2022, Chen and Huang arranged for 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be shipped from the Western District of New York to a refinery in Erie, Pennsylvania. They received $29,433.60 for the shipment, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
On April 28, 2022, the men arranged for another 45,000 pounds of stolen cooking oil to be shipped to the same refinery.
They received $30,618 for that shipment.
Prosecutors said Chen and Huang knew there was a high probability the cooking oil was stolen.
Sentencing scheduled for December
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire.
The investigation was conducted by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
Chen is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17, 2026, at 11 a.m. Huang is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 15, 2026, at 3 p.m. Both hearings will be held before Geraci.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 2 Pittsford men plead guilty to transporting stolen cooking oil
