GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Two Texas men previously charged in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars worth of textbooks at multiple college campuses, are now facing federal charges.
Ryan Scott Lewis and Genisis Garcia Abellar, both 35 and of Houston, are accused of taking textbooks from instructors’ offices at UW-Green Bay, UW-Whitewater, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls in June of 2017.
They are also accused of stealing textbooks from other colleges in Minnesota, North Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico and Washington state.
Prosecutors say the two shipped the stolen textbooks to a Texas business, which resold them to students.
State charges were dropped against the two in February so federal charges could be filed.
If found guilty, they each could face up to 15 years in prison.