2 Delaware County-based FedEx workers, 7 co-conspirators charged in $173K cellphone theft scheme

DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. (WPVI) -- Two Delaware County-based FedEx workers and seven co-conspirators have been arrested in connection to an organized cellphone theft scheme.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the charges on Thursday.

The FedEx workers are accused of engineering a scheme last year involving the theft of cellphones from shipments that were then allegedly sold by the co-conspirators, according to Sunday.

The alleged ringleaders, identified as 25-year-old Lahneir McBride and 25-year-old Cahron Wilmore, are both charged with felony counts of corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, criminal solicitation, and related offenses.

Officials say McBride and Wilmore were hired by FedEx last summer, and quickly began the theft scheme, which ran from late June through September 2024.

The duo is accused of stealing at least 181 phones, worth approximately $173,000, and recruited people to sell them at EcoATM stations.

The sales of the phones netted the organization $57,000 in profit, officials said.

The "sellers" were paid between $200 and $300 for each phone, according to the AG's office.

The seven other individuals who allegedly sold the stolen phones -- identified as Latoria McBride (McBride's mother), Albert Payne, Lamiyah Young, Janiya Monae Wilmore, Ciani Wilmore, Danasia Jackson, and Lamarr Taylor -- have also been charged with similar offenses, officials said.

All nine are in custody.

FedEx released a statement on the investigation, saying, "The security of our customers' shipments is a top priority. We will not tolerate criminal activity in our network and will take swift action with our law enforcement partners to shut down any such activity," adding, "These individuals are no longer employed by FedEx."