2 Men Altered Car Odometers Before Selling Them: Monroe PD

MONROE, CT — Police have charged a Monroe man and another suspect with multiple fraud and larceny charges after they say the pair schemed to doctor cars' odometers before selling them.

According to police, Edgar D. Gonzalez, 25, of Monroe, and Elmer Pacheco-Diaz, 21, of Stratford purchased cars at auction, altered their mileage, then resold the vehicles at inflated prices to unsuspecting victims. Both suspects were later arrested by warrant, each turning themselves in to the Monroe Police Department.

Investigators were tipped off to the operation on Oct. 25, when the Monroe Police Department received a complaint about an altered odometer and vehicle title which defrauded the complainant out of thousands of dollars.

After finding the car on Facebook Marketplace and paying cash for it in a Monroe parking lot meet-up with the seller, the victim was unable to register the vehicle. Upon reviewing CARFAX data, the victim learned the last reported mileage was 219,000 miles, but the odometer presently read 121,000 miles.

Monroe Police detectives investigated the case and tracked down the origin of the vehicle, and the creator of the Facebook Marketplace page. According to Lt. Michael Sweeney, the car was purchased by a dealership in Massachusetts, then resold to an auction house in Connecticut. It was purchased at auction 13 days earlier with 219,000 miles.

Many of the vehicle pictures posted on the Facebook page were taken in various areas in Monroe, according to police.

Pacheco-Diaz was arrested by warrant on Dec. 26 and charged with first-degree forgery, first-degree conspiracy to commit forgery, second-degree larceny, second-degree conspiracy to commit larceny, third-degree larceny, third-degree conspiracy to commit larceny and illegal tampering with an odometer. He was released after posting his court set bond of $50,000, and scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 3.

Gonzalez was arrested by warrant on Dec. 28 and charged with third-degree telephone fraud, second-degree criminal attempt at larceny, second-degree conspiracy to commit larceny, third-degree conspiracy to commit larceny, two counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit illegal tampering with an odometer and first-degree violation of conditions of release. He was held on a court set $75,000 bond and taken to Bridgeport Superior Court for his arraignment on Dec. 28.

The Monroe Police Department believes there are other victims who unwittingly purchased a vehicle with an altered odometer from either of the suspects, and encourage them to contact the Detective Division at 203-452-2831.