BROWN COUNTY — A 40-year-old rural Sleepy Eye man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a federal investigation into stolen catalytic converters.

John Charles Kotten was arrested without incident at 28999 CR 27, Sleepy Eye, and transported to the Brown County Jail, awaiting court for two felony counts of receiving stolen property, according to court documents. A court hearing was set for 11:15 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4 on Zoom.

Agents who exercised a search warrant found Kotten, who had just arrived in a white van, on the property. Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Bauer began running license plates of junked vehicles on the property. Two junked vehicles found on the property were confirmed stolen vehicles from the Twin Cities metro area.

The vehicles included a Ford F150 pickup confirmed stolen out of Minneapolis, using the VIN number since the vehicle had no front or rear license plate. A white GMC van was confirmed stolen out of Blaine.

Kotten is part of a massive federal investigation involving stolen goods, catalytic converters in this case.

According to a Department of Justice press release, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.

The U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) seeks the forfeiture of more than $545 million in connection with the case. All told, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.

Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia.

The 21 defendants were charged in two separate indictments unsealed Wednesday. More than 32 search warrants were executed. Law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.

“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process — on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners.

Minnesota law enforcement agencies assisting the DOJ included St. Paul, Blaine, Roseville, Bloomington, Plymouth, Woodbury, Brooklyn Park, Fridley, Mendota Heights, Chaska and Coon Rapids Police plus sheriff’s offices in Brown, McLeod, Anoka, and Carver Counties and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau.