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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that a Garfield man pleaded guilty yesterday
for his role in a stolen vehicle ring.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Ramon J. Carrillo, 29, of Garfield,
pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge
Garry J. Furnari in Essex County to an accusation
charging him with third-degree receiving
stolen property. Crimes of the third degree
carry a sentence of up to five years in
state prison and a criminal fine of up to
$15,000. Carrillo may also face a civil
insurance fraud fine.
At
the guilty plea hearing, Carrillo admitted
that between Sept. 28, 2006 and Nov. 1,
2006, he took possession of property knowing
that it was stolen. He specifically admitted
that he took possession of a 2004 Subaru,
a 2003 Lincoln Navigator, a 2005 Cadillac
Escalade, a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle, and
a 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle. Carrillo admitted
that he moved these stolen vehicles so that
they could be sold by others involved in
the theft ring.
This
investigation involved an undercover operation
by the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
to infiltrate the stolen vehicle ring. The
investigation involved OIFP investigators
working in an undercover capacity to purchase
six motorcycles and 32 automobiles that
were reported stolen. The vehicles had a
total value of approximately $890,000.
Three
other persons previously pleaded guilty
in Superior Court in Essex County as part
of the ongoing investigation. Michael A.
Campo, 32, of Totowa, pleaded guilty to
receiving stolen property on Oct. 30 before
Judge Furnari. He is scheduled to be sentenced
on Jan. 11. Ronald Bennett, 20, of East
Orange, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen
property on May 18 and was sentenced on
August 24 to seven years in state prison.
Frazier M. Gibson, 20, of Montclair, pleaded
guilty to receiving stolen property, aggravated
assault, criminal mischief, and unlawful
possession of a weapon on May 24 and was
sentenced on July 19 to five years in state
prison.
It is anticipated that additional criminal
charges will be filed in this ongoing investigation.
State
Investigator Johnny Ho and Deputy Attorney
General Richard W. Queen were assigned to
the investigation. Queen represented the
state at the guilty plea hearing.
“Frequently
insurance fraud investigations lead to evidence
of stolen automobiles and alteration of
vehicle identification numbers,” said
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown. “This
ring was uncovered as part of an insurance
fraud investigation of stolen vehicles.”
Carrillo
is scheduled to appear before Judge Furnari
on Jan. 18 to be sentenced.
Prosecutor
Brown noted that some important cases have
started with anonymous tips. People who
are concerned about insurance cheating and
have information about a fraud can report
it anonymously by calling the toll-free
hotline 1-877-55-FRAUD
or visiting the Web site www.NJInsuranceFraud.org.
State regulations permit an award to be
paid to an eligible person who provides
information that leads to an arrest, prosecution
and conviction for insurance fraud.
The
Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor was
established by the Automobile Insurance
Cost Reduction Act of 1998. The office is
the centralized state agency that investigates
and prosecutes both civil and criminal insurance
fraud, as well as Medicaid fraud.
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