6 Charged In $3M Auto-Theft Ring Linked To 30+ Vehicles: State Police

AVENEL, NJ - Six individuals have been charged by New Jersey State Police in an auto theft ring linked to over 30 high-end vehicles worth more than $3 million, authorities said.

Following a seven-month investigation, state police detectives identified Carlos Sanchez, 23, of Newark, as the leader of the theft ring targeting expensive vehicles in Monmouth County, Mercer County, Ocean County, Union County, Essex County, Somerset County, Hunterdon County, Burlington County, Bergen County, Middlesex County and New York State, New Jersey State Police said in a statement.

Also identified in the scheme were James Lanier, 24, Solomon Mickens, 23, and Sadiq Griggs, 23, all of Newark.

Over the course of the investigation, detectives learned the ring targeted residences while victims were home and committed burglaries in an attempt to steal the vehicles, state police said. After taking the vehicles, the subjects would assign them fraudulent vehicle identification numbers to be re-titled and sold online.

On Thursday, members of the Troop “C” Criminal Investigation Office, State Police Auto Theft Task Force, T.E.A.M.S. Unit, K-9 Unit, and Strategic Investigations Unit Central, with assistance from members of the United States Marshals NY/NJ Fugitive Task Force and Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, executed search warrants at the residences of Mickens and Sanchez, and at a motel in Avenel where Sanchez was staying.

Sanchez was charged with leader of an auto theft trafficking network, conspiracy to commit theft and theft by unlawful taking; Mickens was charged with conspiracy to commit theft and theft by unlawful taking, police said.

Subsequently, detectives arrested Sanchez and Mickens and seized a 9mm handgun, a high-capacity magazine, key fobs, and electronic devices linked to the scheme, police said.

Griggs was later arrested at a residence in Newark and charged with conspiracy to commit theft; Lanier was arrested in a vehicle in Newark and charged with conspiracy to commit theft, theft by unlawful taking and burglary.

Destiny Montalvo, 21, of Newark, was arrested at her home for conspiring to dispose of evidence, police added.

The charges stem from a May investigation into high-end motor vehicle thefts in Millstone Township and Upper Freehold Township, state police said. As a result, detectives first named Geovanni Hernandez, 24, of Newark, as a suspect and linked him to the theft of a BMW M8 and three Land Rover Range Rovers in Upper Freehold Township and Millstone Township. He was arrested on July 22 and charged with conspiracy to commit theft, burglary, theft and receiving stolen property, police said.

All suspects are lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending a bail detention hearing, police said.