Luther Lewis, 38, of Piscataway, Tyisha Brantley, 36, of Scotch Plains, and Justinas Vaitoska, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida are charged as ringleaders of an auto-theft network that preyed on people selling their vehicles on Craigslist. A total of 17 people were indicted in the ring.
By Craig McCarthy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 25, 2016 at 7:47 AM, updated August 25, 2016 at 11:12 AM
TRENTON, NJ — Two New Jersey residents and a Florida man are accused of running an auto-theft ring that recruited 14 others to scam people trying to sell cars on Craigslist, authorities said.
The trio — Luther Lewis, 38, of Piscataway, Tyisha Brantley, 36, of Scotch Plains, and Justinas Vaitoska, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Mercer County, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in a release.
Authorities said the operation used fake bank checks to buy cars from online sellers and flip them at car dealerships in New Jersey. The scam netted $107,250 from 10 vehicles, which had a total value of $248,650, according to authorities.
Lewis, Brantley, Vaitoska are accused of running the scheme from May to November of 2015. They sent others to pose as buyers for a payout of $300 to $1,000 per car, authorities said.
A phone tracking app led police to the suspect, Michael Nelmes.
The sales were typically set up in the late afternoon, so the title could be changed before the owner discovered the Bank of America cashiers checks were counterfeit, the release said.
The three alleged ringleaders were indicted on charges of first-degree promotion of organized street crime and second-degree charges leader of an auto theft network, second-degree conspiracy and theft by deception. They all face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $500,000.
"These alleged con artists trolled the Internet in a quest for cars they could steal through their fraudulent scheme," said Porrino. "We will not let their predatory conduct go unpunished."
Four others, three of whom are New Jersey residents, were charged with second-degree conspiracy and theft by deception. The following people all face up to five years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines:
- Milagros Jimenez, 54, of Haines City, Fla.
- Heather Cater, 20, of Woodbridge
- Saint Hardy, 32, of Elizabeth
- Deborah Rodgers, 32, of Carteret
In addition, the nine New Jersey residents who contacted sellers and arranged the purchases face charges of fourth-degree falsifying records. They face 18 months in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The nine are:
- Nikisha Goodman, 20, of Avenel
- Stephen Hester, 48, of Orange
- Chester Kinder, 62, of Newark
- Tassan Howard, 32, of Newark
- Kamilla Bunn, 20, of Elizabeth
- Tanika Arrington, 30, of Newark
- Javairia Jihad, 29, of East Orange
- Yvonne McBride,38, of Newark
- Marixa Medina, 31, of Newark
Nakita Savage, 28, of Newark, was previously indicted on charges of third-degree conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and fencing, authorities said. Savage also allegedly acted as one the intermediaries.