Category Archives: South

Former Kennett, MO man sentenced on mail fraud charges

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A former Kennett, Missouri man has been sentenced on felony mail fraud.  CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) – A former Kennett, Missouri man has been sentenced on felony mail fraud. According to the Eastern District U.S. Attorney’s Office, Nicholas H. Brock, 36, now of Brookland, Arkansas, was sentenced to four months home confinement and five years of probation for mail fraud. Brock was also order to pay $78,180.98 in restitution. In his guilty plea in federal court on Nov. 5, 2018, Brock admitted to defrauding a lienholder for an over-the-road tractor trailer truck claim to the Missouri Department of Revenue that he towed a truck for a breakdown. He claimed the truck had been abandoned and tried to get a title for the vehicle through the Department of Revenue. Brock admitted in court that the fraud began on or about Feb. 10, 2017 and continued through or about June 13, 2017 in Dunklin County, Mo. The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Missouri State Highway Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul W. Hahn. Original Article: https://www.kfvs12.com/2019/03/18/former-kennett-mo-man-sentenced-mail-fraud-charges/

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Father and Son Sentenced in Large Scale Vehicle Odometer Roll Back Scheme

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Jackson, Miss. – Mark Longgrear, 54, of Jackson, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison, and his son, Zachary Longgrear, 29, of Madison, was sentenced to 28 months in prison by United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves for conspiring to reset and alter the odometers of motor vehicles, to giving or causing to be given false statements relating to odometers, and securities fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent-in-Charge Midwest Region, Kevin L. Porter with the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The Longgrears were also ordered to pay restitution, jointly and severally, in the amount of $1.5 million. From 2014 through at least February 2018, Mark Longgrear, along with his son, Zachary Longgrear, both individually and under their company Southern Auto Buyers LLC, bought a large number of late model, high mileage vehicles from numerous sources, and thereafter illegally altered the odometers of these vehicles to show lower mileage. The Defendants forged and fraudulently created paperwork to secure new titles showing false lower mileage on these vehicles, and then sold the vehicles directly to individuals and automobile dealerships at much higher prices.  Some of these rolled-back vehicles were subsequently sold by the dealerships to consumers in the Mississippi area and elsewhere.  Over 200 vehicles have been confirmed with rolled-back odometers. The case is the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton. Odometer fraud is the disconnection, resetting, or alteration of a vehicle’s odometer with the intent to change the number of miles indicated. NHTSA estimates that more than 450,000 vehicles are sold each year with … Continue Reading

Odometer fraud on the rise in Austin and costing car buyers thousands of dollars

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Used car buyers in Austin are getting ripped off in record numbers. Con artists are rolling back the mileage on odometers to make the vehicles seem more valuable. The fraud is costing victims an average of $4,000 each. Kristin Young thinks she was duped. She and her husband bought a used car believing it had low miles. Instead, they discovered the odometer was rolled back about 67,000 miles to make the car seem more valuable. “$5,000 invested and it’s probably worth about $1,500,” said Kristin. “For us that’s a lot of money and a lot of sacrifice,” said Ferron Young. Carfax data suggests that 1.5 million vehicles on the road have had their odometers rolled back. 10-percent of them are in the state of Texas. “It is getting worse. It is growing every year,” said Chris Basso, a used car expert with Carfax. Basso setup a demonstration to show how easy it is to put any number you want on a digital odometer. “We’ve got a truck that has 230,000 miles on it right now,” said Basso. That would make the truck’s value around $3,600. But in less than one minute the odometer was rolled back to 130,000 miles. “And there you go it’s done already. 100,000 miles taken off the odometer,” said Basso. “Somebody can now charge more than double what this car is actually worth.” CBS Austin asked for a second demonstration using our own numbers. “We’re going to plug that in right now,” said Basso. And in 54 seconds the odometer was rolled back from 130,000 miles to 86,000. “And that’s the scary thing, isn’t it? You’re essentially hacking the car’s computer just by plugging it into the device that we have. Those things are available through internet searches that conmen are using to rip people off,” said Basso. … Continue Reading

Illinois Motor Vehicle Employee Known as “The Plate Plan” Sentenced for Vehicle Registration Fraud Scheme

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Department of Justice St. Louis, MO – Melvin Harmon was sentenced to 33 months incarceration and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,359.92 for conspiracy to defraud the United States and mail fraud by assisting Missouri residents in registering their cars in Illinois. According to evidence at trial, between January 1, 2015 and December 20, 2016, Melvin Harmon was employed at a Granite City, Illinois office registering vehicles for the State of Illinois Secretary of State. He used his employment to assist Missouri residents in obtaining fraudulent motor vehicle registrations for others in exchange for a fee. Some of the Missouri residents learned of his services when they saw flyers advertising Harmon as “The Plate Man.” In March 2016, investigators with the Illinois Secretary of State discovered that Harmon had been charging Missouri residents $350.00 to $700.00 in order to fraudulently register their cars in Illinois. Doing so enabled the Missouri residents to evade payment of Missouri taxes. In addition, Harmon altered the price of the vehicles in order to reduce any payments that would be paid to the State of Illinois as a result of the fraudulent registration. The alteration increased the amount he profited through the scheme. The State of Missouri lost in excess of $119,359.92 in sales tax revenue due to the fraudulent conduct. The precise loss of personal property tax income to the State of Missouri and local municipalities has not been determined. Harmon, 40, Belleville, IL, was found guilty on May 18, 2108 after a federal jury returned five guilty verdicts. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey. The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue-Compliance and Investigation Bureau and the State of Illinois Secretary of State Police. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Berry … Continue Reading

Kennett man pleads guilty to fraud charge

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Nicholas H. Brock, 36, of Kennett, Missouri, pled guilty to one felony count of mail fraud. He appeared before United States District Judge John A. Ross. Brock admitted that beginning on or about Feb. 10, 2017, and continuing through about June 13, 2017, in Dunklin County, Missouri, he defrauded a lienholder for an over-the-road tractor-trailer truck financed by North Mill Equipment Finance, LLC, for a 2008 Peterbilt over-the-road truck in which the lender retained a security interest. Brock prepared and sent, via the mail, a Form 4577, Missouri Department of Revenue, Vehicle Owner and Lienholder notification to the lender, falsely claiming that a 2008 Peterbilt over-the-road tractor-trailer truck had been towed by his towing company, Elite Tow & Recovery, from Pendleton, Oregon, on February 10, 2017, for a “breakdown.” The towing charge was $16,096 plus storage costs of $100 a day. Brock mailed the fraudulent Form 4577 for the purpose of obtaining a clean title for that vehicle from the Missouri Department of Revenue as an abandoned vehicle, based on the lienholder’s failure to pay the tow bill after receiving notice of the bill. Brock also prepared a Form 4576, Missouri Department of Revenue Abandoned Property Affidavit, in which Brock falsely represented to the Missouri Department of Revenue that the 2008 Peterbilt truck had been abandoned. Brock mailed that form to the Missouri Department of Revenue to obtain a Certificate of Title for the over-the-road truck, based on a bogus and false tow bill. On or about May 11, 2017, Brock caused the mailing of an Application for Missouri Title and License for the 2008 Peterbilt over-the-road truck to the Missouri Department of Revenue to obtain a Missouri Certificate of Title for the 2008 Peterbilt truck. Brock then obtained … Continue Reading

Tip leads investigators to stolen vehicles in suspected chop shop in Independence

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Emily Rittman/KCTV5 A number of stolen vehicles were found inside a suspected ‘chop shop’ in Independence. When officers inspected a storage lot, they found dismantled vehicles with VIN numbers missing. Among them was the truck that belonged to Brian Sollars, who posted a picture of his stolen 2012 GMC online on the Stolen KC Facebook page. Sollars said a stranger reached out to him shortly after, providing details about the truck. “He said he knew where my truck was and described it perfectly,” Sollars said. “He asked me if I had a pen and paper and told me to write it down. I thought he was full of it at first.” The address was for a storage lot off Atherton Road near 24 Highway in Independence. Sollars reported the tip to investigators who got permission to inspect the property. Inside there was a stolen tow dolly and a stolen John Deer gator. Outside, there was a stolen Kawasaki motorcycle, a stolen F350 truck, two stolen Dodge trucks and a stolen Harley Davidson tricycle bike. Randall Bennett III, the man who was subleasing the lot, is charged with operating an auto salvage business without a license. More charges are possible. Original Article: https://www.kctv5.com/news/tip-leads-investigators-to-stolen-vehicles-in-suspected-chop-shop/article_275d8e36-77c8-5c2f-9f50-6ac709ded15e.html

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Department of Revenue CIB Agents Assist in Joint Task Force Operation

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JEFFERSON CITY — Special Agents Doug Scotten and Mike Fryer, of the Missouri Department of Revenue’s Compliance and Investigation Bureau (CIB), recently assisted the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) in Operation Clean Sweep. The operation’s purpose was to identify salvage operations in the Kansas City metropolitan area, ensure compliance with Missouri salvage laws and locate stolen vehicles. Operation Clean Sweep took place over the course of two days in mid-May. During that time, the task force identified an unlicensed salvage operation and a large, illegal “chop shop” operation. The task force also checked the accuracy of 898 vehicle identification numbers, visited approximately 23 salvage and body shop businesses being checked for compliance, and recovered 12 stolen vehicles, two stolen trailers and one stolen piece of equipment. “The general purpose of investigations like Operation Clean Sweep is to ensure businesses are in compliance with Missouri’s salvage licensure laws, as well as sales tax and titling laws related to motor vehicles,” said CIB Investigation Manager Nick Humphrey. “As part of Operation Clean Sweep, DOR investigators provided their expertise in checking the validity of vehicle identification numbers, business record requirements, odometer tampering and vehicle title tampering.” Led by Corporal C N Bradley of the MSHP, the joint task force responsible for carrying out Operation Clean Sweep consisted of Agents Scotten and Fryer, MSHP motor vehicle inspectors, officers from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, a special agent from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and an agent from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. “Most businesses in Missouri do a fantastic job fulfilling their licensure requirements. Unfortunately, a few do not. That’s where our CIB agents come in,” said Department Director Joel Walters. “It is the hope of our investigators, and the Department, that by reducing the outlet for stolen vehicles and vehicle parts, … Continue Reading

Jackson Man Charged in Large Scale Vehicle Odometer Roll Back Scheme

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Jackson, Miss. – Mark Longgrear, 53, of Jackson, Mississippi was arrested yesterday and charged in a federal criminal complaint with rolling back the odometers of multiple high mileage vehicles and selling such fraudulently altered vehicles with doctored titles, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Supervisory Special Agent David W. Sparks with the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation. Longgrear appeared in court today for an initial appearance on the criminal complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson. According to the criminal complaint and affidavit, for at least the last four years, Mark Longgrear, operating individually and through his company Southern Auto Buyers LLC, bought more than 50 late model, high mileage vehicles from auctions, dealerships, and/or individuals, thereafter illegally altered the odometers of such vehicles to show lower mileage, forged and fraudulently created paperwork to secure new titles showing false lower mileage for these vehicles, and then sold said vehicles directly to individuals and automobile dealerships at much higher prices. He used internet websites to sell some of these vehicles directly to consumers, and also used employment and wholesale relationships with large Mississippi automobile dealerships in Jackson and Vicksburg to sell these fraudulently altered odometer vehicles to these dealerships, who in turn unknowingly sold them to consumers with this false information. “Vehicle odometer fraud affects us all, whether directly as consumers purchasing vehicles and being defrauded out of thousands of dollars or as the general public who can be endangered by these potentially unsafe vehicles. I commend the agents and prosecutor for rooting out this far-reaching scheme. In order to protect consumers and safeguard the general public, our office will relentlessly pursue and vigorously prosecute those whom break federal law by rolling back vehicle odometers,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst. Each violation … Continue Reading

Norfolk man pleads guilty to rolling back odometers on at least 50 used cars, reselling for profit

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A Norfolk man conspired to roll back the odometers of more than 50 vehicles before selling them to used-car dealerships and others, according to court documents. Lawson W. Basnight, 47, pleaded guilty Thursday to the fraud – which resulted in $250,000 to $550,000 in losses. “He’s accepted responsibility and knows what he did was wrong,” Moody “Sonny” Stallings Jr., Basnight’s attorney, said after the plea hearing. He said his client expects to serve some time in jail and was ready to start his sentence Thursday, “but the judge talked him out of it.” A sentencing hearing is set for May 16 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. Basnight faces a maximum of five years in prison. Prosecutors Jacqueline Blaesi-Freed and Elizabeth Yusi declined to comment. According to court documents, the scheme stretched from September 2010 through October 2016. Basnight worked with at least one other person to defraud vehicle purchasers into believing they were buying cars and trucks with significantly lower mileages than they actually had – prompting them to pay significantly more than they were actually worth. To conceal the scheme, Basnight would sometimes pose as a used-car dealer while buying the vehicles and give an alias, documents said. He would direct the sellers not to write their vehicle’s mileage on the title. He would then roll back the odometer and fill out the document with the false reading. After that, he or an acquaintance would apply for and secure a new title. Court documents reference the purchase in 2013 of a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with at least 125,000 miles. An acquaintance of Basnight’s disconnected the odometer and rolled it back to indicate the vehicle had been driven only 12,954 miles. The Jeep was purchased for $19,000 and sold to a “major used car retailer” for about $30,000, … Continue Reading

Mother-daughter employees of Central Texas tax office arrested

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CAMERON, Texas (KWTX) A mother and daughter who worked in the Milam County Tax Office were free on bond Tuesday after they were arrested on warrants stemming from an investigation of forged vehicle registrations. Lydia Cervantes, 55, and her daughter Laura Renee Cervantes, 26, were arrested at the tax office Monday by agents from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Milam County Sheriff David E. Green said. Green said both were booked into the county jail and were released after posting bond. Both were charged with forgery of vehicle registration and with filing false identities, jail records showed. “I don’t know much about the details of the case because the arrest was made by state police from the DPS computer crimes division,” Green said. In March 2016 Milam County Assistant Community Supervision Officer, Ronald G. Floyd, 50 of Cameron, pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant over $2,500, but less than $30,000, a third-degree felony. He was sentenced to three years deferred adjudication probation, ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, court costs and at least $8,180 in restitution, prosecutors said. Floyd was accused of encouraging probationers to bring their probation fees to his office in cash and then skimmed money off those fees and pocketed it. On Dec. 9, 2015, Milam County Tax Assessor-Collector Kolette Barrett Morgan was sentenced to probation after pleading no contest to a state jail felony charge of attempted theft by a public servant of more than $1,500, but less than $20,000. State District Judge John W. Youngblood placed Morgan on three years deferred adjudication probation and she was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, court costs and restitution in an amount to be determined. A criminal accused Morgan of unlawfully appropriating cash in an amount between $1,500 and $20,000 “pursuant to one scheme or … Continue Reading