NEWARK, NJ – James Hurt, a 48-year-old man from New York, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy that specifically targeted Asian and Asian-American small business owners across multiple states.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the sentencing, which took place in Newark federal court under U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin.

Hurt previously pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. This charge stemmed from activities spanning from December 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, during which Hurt and his co-conspirators burglarized homes of Asian small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The group targeted these individuals for their valuable jewelry, large sums of money, and other items, subsequently transporting the stolen goods across state lines.

In addition to his prison term, Judge Padin has also sentenced Hurt to three years of supervised release. This case highlights a disturbing pattern of targeting specific communities for criminal activities and underscores the efforts of federal law enforcement to address and deter such targeted criminal behavior.