Duluth man faces federal theft charges in Wisconsin

A Duluth man has been indicted on multiple counts of interstate transportation of motor vehicles in U.S. District Court in Madison.

Gale A. Rachuy, 60, was indicted Sept. 1 and will be arraigned Friday, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. A trial in the case was set for January.

Rachuy is accused of purchasing vehicles from dealerships and an individual using checks written on a closed account, then transporting the vehicles in interstate commerce knowing they were stolen.

Friday, Duluth police issued a FraudTracks alert notifying local merchants that Rachuy was allegedly issuing checks off a closed account at Park State Bank.

If convicted on the stolen motor vehicle charge, Rachuy faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, $250,000 fine, three years supervised release, a $100 special assessment and restitution.

Charges against Rachuy are a result of an investigation by the Eau Claire office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Superior and Duluth police departments, and Douglas and Carlton counties sheriff’s departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant C. Johnson.

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