DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man has been sentenced to eight years behind bars for trying to steal dozens of cars from the Pontiac Silverdome in 2017.
Background: Two men charged after trying to steal Volkwagens from Pontiac Silverdome
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After a 13-day trial in April, a federal jury convicted Romane Porter of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles and transportation of stolen vehicles. According to authorities, prosecutors showed that about six months in 2017, Porter and co-defendant Daniel Onorati conspired with each other and others to steal approximately 61 recalled Volkswagen and Audi cars that were parked outside the former Detroit Lions home.
January 2017: Thousands of Volkswagens parked outside Pontiac Silverdome
Once in possession of the stolen vehicles, the defendants and others reportedly stored and sold or attempted to sell many of these stolen vehicles. At the time, authorities alleged that 46 of the 61 vehicles left the state of Michigan.
Onorati pleaded guilty in April 2022 and was sentenced to 20 months behind bars.
In addition to Porter’s 97-month sentence, he was ordered Porter to pay $683,080 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison.
The Pontiac Silverdome was home to the Detroit Lions from 1975 to 2001. The building was eventually demolished and the site was redeveloped by Amazon.
