Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024:
Illinois police bust Canadian truck driver hauling cocaine
Two Canadians were arrested in Illinois and charged with three felonies when their truck was found to have more than 1,100 pounds of cocaine in the trailer.
The Illinois State Police (ISP) Blackhawk Area Task Force (BATF) arrested 27- year-old Vanshpreet Singh and 36-year-old Manpreet Singh, both from Ontario, Canada. They were charged with Possession of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, and Cocaine Trafficking -- all three of which are Class X felonies in Illinois, carrying a sentence of 6-30 years in prison.
Illinois State Police seized 1,146 pounds of cocaine from the truck.Illinois State Police
On Nov. 29 at approximately 2:10 p.m., an ISP trooper conducted an inspection on a Volvo tractor-trailer combination on Interstate 80 eastbound in Henry County. During the inspection, the trooper observed numerous indicators of criminal activity.
A subsequent search revealed suspected cocaine. The total approximate weight of the cocaine located was 1,146 pounds and has an approximate street value of more than $40 million dollars.
“ISP’s coordinated focus on trafficking is helping keep dangerous drugs out of our communities,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “From commercial motor vehicle inspections to daily patrol, to targeted anti-violence and trafficking details, ISP is making communities safer.”
Vanshpreet Singh and Manpreet Signh were taken into custody and transported to the Henry County Jail pending a pre-trial release hearing. ISP notified Homeland Security Investigations, which responded and is providing assistance.
[Related: Drug trafficker claims she worked with truck drivers in operation]
Former fleet exec sentenced for embezzling $1.5 million from company
Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 47, of Fresno, California, was sentenced Nov. 25 to two years and nine months in prison for a multiyear embezzlement scheme and was ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
In July 2024, Ruiz De Chavez pleaded guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, from 2004 to 2020, Ruiz De Chavez worked as an operations manager for an unnamed Fresno-based trucking company.
Between 2012 and 2019, Ruiz De Chavez used his position to generate fake invoices, purportedly created by genuine vendors for goods and services. He presented these fake invoices and corresponding checks made out to the real vendors with his employer’s signature. He would then deposit the checks into his own personal bank account.
Once in his personal bank account, Ruiz De Chavez used the funds to pay for personal expenses including credit card payments, cash withdrawals, mortgage payments, vacations, and car loans. He was able to continue the scheme without notice because of the trusted position he held at the company.
Ruiz De Chavez created more than 600 fake invoices and checks, causing $1,561,000 to be transferred into his account from his employer.
[Related: Trucking company employees charged in scheme to embezzle from fleet]
FMCSA’s adivsory committee to discuss truck parking, seat belt use
The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC), which provides the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with advice and recommendations on programs and regulations, will hold a virtual meeting this month, Dec. 17 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern each day.
During the two-day meeting, FMCSA will provide a presentation of federal and state efforts to increase truck parking, and task the MCSAC to provide recommendations concerning additional government and private sector actions that should be considered to increase parking.
FMCSA will also present a review of truck crash data and truck occupant fatality/injury data, along with the percentage of these drivers that were not wearing their seat belts. The agency will engage the MCSAC to identify opportunities to promote greater levels of seat belt usage among CMV drivers.
The meeting will be open to the public for its entirety. Advance registration is required and available online here.
[Related: FLSA reform, parking, detention: MCSAC prioritizes recommendations]
Pilot donates $50K to Folds of Honor
Pilot celebrated Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3 by funding scholarships for the next generation of professional truck drivers.
A $50,000 donation to Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members and first responders who have fallen or been disabled while serving their country and communities, will go toward scholarships for qualified recipients looking to earn their commercial driver's license.
"It's an honor for Pilot to continue to celebrate and honor the incredible heroes across our country -- the truck drivers who safely put millions of miles on our highways to keep us going and our servicemembers, first responders and their families who sacrifice so much for our nation," said Wendy Hamilton, chief of staff at Pilot. "Giving back to the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and the communities we serve, especially through education, is a small way to show our gratitude and support their future. We look forward to seeing more truck drivers out here and are thankful for the work done through Folds of Honor and their scholarship programs."
Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 62,000 academic scholarships totaling about $290 million in all 50 states. The $50,000 donation from Pilot will provide Folds of Honor with resources to further support the education of the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military personnel and first responders across the country.
[Related: Coalition supporting vets in ag careers honored in Howes Hall of Fame]
