A 24-year-old Brooklyn resident was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but 26 months suspended, for his involvement in a theft operation targeting elderly victims in Bethesda after pleading guilty to conspiracy and attempted theft charges.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Jeannie Cho has sentenced defendant Yongxian Huang, 24, of Brooklyn, NY, to ten years in prison, suspended for all but 18 months, and five years of supervised probation upon release. Huang has also agreed to forgo credit for the 239 days he has previously served. This term translates to an executed sentence of 26 months in jail.
The sentencing hearing took place on Friday, July 11, 2025. On June 24, 2025, Huang pled guilty to all counts in his indictment:
- Conspiracy to commit theft over $25,000 to under $100,000
- Attempted theft over $25,000 to under $100,000
- Theft over $100
On November 14, 2024, Huang collected a package from the Bethesda home of a married couple, both of whom were 75 years old. The parcel contained $397 worth of imitation gold bars. Huang believed the bars were genuine and valued them at $84,290.20. The victims reported their deception to Montgomery County Police. Earlier, theyhanded over gold bars worth more than $400,000 to co-conspirators. Detectives from the Financial Crimes Section coordinated the handover to Huang. An undercover officer assumed the identity of one of the victims and presented him with the replica bars. Huang then drove to Brooklyn, NY, where he was eventually caught.
Hannah Gleason and Robert Hill, both assistant state attorneys, prosecuted this case. We appreciate our partners’ cooperation and support in this investigation, which include the Montgomery County Police Financial Crimes Section, the New York City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI Baltimore Field Office.