A Conover man received an 8-11 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to over 20 property crime charges across five North Carolina counties. Noah Daniel Garrett, 28, was convicted of stealing and fraudulently reselling heavy machinery while also targeting Hurricane Helene victims with scams.

The Catawba County District Attorney's Office said Garrett's crimes spanned from October 2023 to March 2025, involving misappropriation of heavy machinery worth more than $100,000. His father Virgil was also charged in the investigation. Superior Court Judge Sherri W. Elliott imposed the sentence after a global guilty plea covering multiple felony counts.

Garrett must pay nearly $265,000 in restitution to businesses and individuals affected by his crimes. The case was investigated by multiple agencies across Catawba, Avery, Mitchell, Iredell, and Gaston counties. The conviction represents one of the largest equipment theft and fraud schemes in recent Western North Carolina history.