A federal grand jury has indicted six New York men for stealing used cooling oil and shipping it to Erie, according to the U.S. Department of Justice last week.

The indictment charges Guodeng Chen, Didi Huang, Fangfang Yan, all of Pittsford, N.Y.; Ruimao Yang, Yan Han, and Wen Xiao Zhang, all of New York City, with conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce. Chen, Huang, and Yan are also charged with transportation and sale of stolen goods in interstate commerce.

The six are accused of conspiring to commit a series of thefts of used cooking oil, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and re-sold for $4 to $5 per gallon from numerous restaurants within and around Monroe County, N.Y.

Yang, Han, and Zhang drove trucks to restaurants and Zhang stole used cooking oil from oil collection tanks located outside of those restaurants, according to information presented to the court. The defendants then allegedly delivered the stolen cooking oil to Chen, Huang, and Yan at a warehouse. Han worked in the warehouse and assisted in the collection and storage of the stolen cooking oil, investigators said.

Chen, Huang, and Yan subsequently sold the stolen cooking oil to a broker and caused the stolen cooking oil to be transported across state lines to a refinery located in Pennsylvania, the indictment said.

In April 2022, Chen, Huang, and Yan caused approximately 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be transported from western New York to Erie, Pa., receiving more than $5,000 for the shipment, according to investigators. Later the same month, Chen, Huang, and Yan caused another approximately 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be shipped to Erie again and more than $5,000 for the shipment, the indictment alleges.

If convicted, the conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Transportation and sale of stolen goods in interstate commerce has a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars.