Union County Car Theft Ringleader Busted: AG

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — A Scotch Plains woman was among three charged as ringleaders of an auto-theft network that preyed on people selling their vehicles on Craigslist, authorities announced Wednesday.

Tyisha Brantley, 36, of Scotch Plains; Luther Lewis, 38, of Piscataway; and Justinas Vaitoska, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida were indicted by a state grand jury in Mercer County on charges of first-degree promotion of organized street crime and second-degree charges leader of an auto theft network, and other offenses in connection with the car theft network.

Thirteen others were also charged for their alleged roles in the criminal scheme that was the brought down by a multi-jurisdictional investigation dubbed “Operation Title Flip.”

The case involves the theft of 10 vehicles, valued at $248,650, between May and November of 2015. The cars were sold to dealerships for a $107,250 profit, according to Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

Lewis, Vaitoska, and Brantley enlisted intermediaries to use fake bank checks to “purchase” cars from private sellers then sell them to various car dealerships in New Jersey, according to prosecutors.

Lewis, Brantley, and Vaitoska were also indicted on charges of second-degree conspiracy and theft by deception. Also indicted on those charges were:

• Milagros Jimenez, 54, of Haines City, Florida
• Heather Cater, 20, of Woodbridge
• Saint Hardy, 32, of Elizabeth
• Deborah Rodgers, 32, of Carteret

Lewis, Brantley, Jimenez and Rodgers were also charged with second-degree impersonation. Lewis, Brantley and Jimenez were charged with third-degree attempted theft by deception.

After the sale occurred, other intermediaries would take the vehicle titles to the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission office to transfer the title into their names, before the sellers could discover the check was counterfeit.

The the intermediaries would sell the car to a dealership for cash and take the sale proceeds and pay the intermediaries for their role in the scheme, prosecutors said.

Intermediaries were paid between $300 and $1,000 each.

The alleged intermediaries were indicted Wednesday on a charge of fourth-degree falsifying records. They 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

Another alleged intermediary, Nakita Savage, 28, of Newark, was previously indicted on charges of third-degree conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and fencing by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

First-crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $500,000; second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000; third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $15,000, fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

People who are concerned about insurance cheating and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the Web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to an eligible person who provides information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.

(Image via AG)

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