Two Plead Guilty In Chop Shop Case

Two Hazleton men pleaded guilty Monday in Lehigh County Court in connection with operating an alleged chop shop earlier this year.

Jelly Roque, 23, pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking. Jonathan Roque-Moronta, 21, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property, and no contest to attempting to flee police. Sentencing is set for 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 14 before Lehigh County Judge Robert Steinberg.

According to court papers and arrest affidavits filed by the Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force, the men had been charged with taking eight sets of rims and tires from new model Infinitis at on Tilghman Street, South Whitehall in February with the intent of reselling them. The rims and tires were valued at $37,486.

The court papers said someone had placed an emergency 911 call on Feb. 23 to authorities and reported that several Bennett Infiniti vehicles were on blocks or the ground, with tires and rims missing, and a vehicle was fleeing. police and Berks Lehigh Regional police pursued.

The chase ended when the vehicle, which police said had been stolen earlier from a Whitehall man, crashed in Lenhartsville.

Roque-Moronta and another man fled, but were eventually caught. Three sets of rims and tires were found inside the vehicle, the arrests affidavits said. The other man told police that Roque was driving another van that had four sets of tires and rims, and that Roque had told him that he planned to sell them for $800 a set, the court papers said. Tires and rims from an eight vehicle were been removed but stacked in front of the vehicle at the dealership, the court papers said.