Kia Salesman Was Fugitive Posing as Girlfriend’s Ex: Cops

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — An elaborate scheme to outfox law enforcement and outrun an arrest warrant came crashing down on a New Port Richey man earlier this week, according to police.

The unusual case against a car salesman began to unfold Sunday, Sept. 18 when the New Port Richey Police Department was contacted by authorities in West Virginia about a vehicle purchase made at the 5819 U.S. 19 Friendly Kia dealership. It seems someone bought a $25,000 vehicle from the dealership using Steven Alexander Bohon’s name. The problem was, Bohon, 24, is from West Virginia and has never been to Florida, New Port Richey Police wrote in an email to media.

The real Bohon, police said, discovered the purchase on his credit when he and his fiancée applied for a loan and were turned down. After digging into the issue, police determined the vehicle was purchased by Justin Lane McCann, 25, using Bohon's name, the email said.

“The suspect purchased the vehicle using the exact identification as the true victim,” the email said. “Further investigation revealed McCann was currently dating the victim’s ex-wife, who was also from West Virginia.”

Police looked into McMann’s background and discovered he was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service. A full extradition warrant had been issued for his arrest on March 8, 2016, from authorities in Pennsylvania. McMann, police say, has been accused of committing similar crimes in that state.

“McCann left West Virginia due to warrants, took a bus to Tampa and moved to New Port Richey,” the email said. After arriving in Florida, he obtained a birth certificate and Social Security card in Bohon’s name. Police say he also managed to land a job at the Kia dealership where he bought the 2016 Optima using Bohon’s name. He was working there as a sales consultant.

Police set up a ruse to catch McMann at the dealership. He was brought into custody, but “McCann continued to claim he was Steven Bohon and provided all the correct information to include the real Bohon’s date of birth and Social Security number.”

Police, however, used tattoo information provided by the U.S. Marshals to determine that the “Steven Bohon” in New Port Richey was actually McCann, the email noted. Once he was brought to the Land O’ Lakes Jail, facial recognition “confirmed the alleged Steven Bohon was fugitive Justin McCann.”

Shortly after McCann’s arrest, police began looking for the fraudulently purchased Kia. It was spotted at the intersection of U.S. 19 and State Road 54. McCann’s girlfriend, the real Steven Bohon’s ex-wife, was inside.

“The girlfriend said she moved to Florida three months after McCann so they could be a family with their 1- and 2-year old children,” the email said. The girlfriend, who has not been identified by police, provided authorities with a recorded interview in regard to the crime, the email added.

McCann now faces criminal use of personal identification and obtaining property by false personal information charges. Those counts are in addition to his outstanding warrant, police noted.

McCann remained in the Land O’ Lakes Jail Tuesday without bond.

Booking photo courtesy of the New Port Richey Police Department