KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A company located around 700 miles away from Knoxville, in New Jersey, was indicted by a Knox County Grand Jury. Alpha Shredding Group is accused of illegally buying scrap metal tied to stolen catalytic converters.
Prosecutors said the company illegally received more than $200,000 and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van from the dealings. Now, they are pushing to seize their assets.
"Obviously, you can't put a corporation in jail," said T. Scott Jones, an attorney.
Alpha Shredding Group's website said it recycles scrap metals and catalytic converters, and that it "works on a system based on volume." It said buyers do not receive a commission based on individual pieces but do receive commissions based on the number of converters.
It said it processes more than 150,000 converters monthly, and that the number is steadily increasing.
"Those were extracted from catalytic converters, which obviously were removed from vehicles throughout the East Tennessee area without permission," said Jones.
According to warrants from December 2021, deputies with the Knox County Sheriff's Office pulled over a man named Matthew Ciejka. They said there were several cut-off catalytic converters in his Mercedes van.
Court records show that he is connected to the case against Alpha Shredding Group. Jones is involved in the case involving Ciejka.
The grand jury's presentment said Alpha Shredding Group illegally earned hundreds of thousands of dollars and also bought a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. According to the Kelley Blue Book, the car is worth around $60,000.
Now, prosecutors are trying to seize those assets and punish the New Jersey corporation.
"Folk would not be cutting them off were it not a lucrative business to be involved in," said Jones. "It means that they are being held criminally liable for corporate irresponsibility."
WBIR reached out to the attorney representing Ciejka and Alpha Shredding Group. They did not want to comment on pending cases.