MEDFORD, NY – A Medford man has been sentenced to three to six years in prison for his involvement in the theft of a car and multiple catalytic converters in 2022. Jason Labbe, 46, pleaded guilty to Auto Stripping and other related charges.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney expressed his commitment to cracking down on quality-of-life crimes, such as catalytic converter theft. “We will not tolerate these crimes in Suffolk County,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This sentence should serve as a message that we will vigorously prosecute criminals who negatively impact the quality of life in our community.”
According to court documents and Labbe’s admissions during his guilty plea, on August 22, 2022, he broke into a business parking lot in Calverton and removed catalytic converters from three vehicles. On December 5, 2022, Labbe stole a catalytic converter from a work truck in Shirley. Finally, on December 20, 2022, he stole a car parked in front of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Medford.
Catalytic converters are valuable due to the precious metals they contain, which are used to reduce pollutants from a vehicle’s engine. Consequently, they have become a target for thieves.
On December 20, 2023, Labbe pleaded guilty to one count of Auto Stripping in the First Degree and two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree. On February 9, 2024, he was sentenced to three to six years in prison by Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. Labbe was represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.
It is worth noting that Labbe’s brother, Daniel Labbe, 43, also pleaded guilty to catalytic converter theft in April 2023. He was sentenced to two to four years in prison in May 2023. At the time of his sentencing, Daniel Labbe was already serving a prison sentence for a previous catalytic converter theft.
Assistant District Attorney Blythe C. Miller from the Financial Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case, with assistance from Detective Michael Carrieri of the Riverhead Town Police Department and Detectives Adam Friedlander and Stephen Masciopinto of the Suffolk County Police Department. The collaborative effort between law enforcement and prosecution played a vital role in ensuring justice was served.
This case serves as a reminder that Suffolk County is committed to protecting its residents from these types of crimes. The successful prosecution of Jason Labbe should act as a deterrent to potential offenders and send a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated.
