(WNY News Now) – A Gates man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for his role in a multi-year retail theft scheme that caused over $1 million in losses to major national retailers.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that 42-year-old Shabon Banks, of Gates, NY, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford also ordered Banks to pay $92,903.34 in restitution to several retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Target, and Walmart.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, Banks participated in an organized retail theft ring between December 2021 and October 2024. Prosecutors said Banks worked with several co-conspirators—identified as serial larcenists—to steal new, unopened merchandise from store shelves on a near-daily basis. The stolen goods were then sold at a steep discount to the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop, operated by co-defendant Dominic Sprague and managed by co-defendant James Civiletti.
Investigators found that the pawn shop purchased 37,936 stolen items on more than 670 occasions, paying Banks and two other larcenists a combined $290,000. The stolen merchandise was later resold on eBay for significant profit. Retailers suffered an estimated $1.16 million in losses as a result of the scheme.
Authorities also noted that Banks used another person’s identification during some transactions and endangered the public by leading police on high-speed chases in 2022 and 2024, forcing officers to halt pursuits due to safety concerns.
Sprague, Civiletti, and co-conspirators Amanda Reeves and Chad Lewis were previously convicted for their roles in the operation.
Federal officials said the sentencing concludes a multi-agency investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Greece Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
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