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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that a Newark man has pleaded guilty for
his role in a stolen vehicle ring.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Eddie R. Lee, 28, of Newark, pleaded
guilty on Friday, Nov. 16, 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. Lee may also face civil
insurance fraud fines.
At
the guilty plea hearing, Lee admitted that
between Sept. 28 and Nov. 1, 2006, he took
possession of two BMW 750i’s, a 2004
Infiniti FX35, a 2006 Infiniti G35, and
a 2002 BMW M3, knowing that they were stolen.
Specifically, Lee 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 to be reported as stolen. The vehicles
had a total value of approximately $890,000.
Four
other persons previously pleaded guilty
to receiving stolen property in Superior
Court in Essex County as part of the ongoing
investigation. Ramon J. Carrillo, 29, of
Garfield, pleaded guilty on Nov. 15 before
Judge Furnari and is scheduled to be sentenced
on Jan. 18. Michael A. Campo, 32, of Totowa,
pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 and is scheduled
to be sentenced on Jan. 11. Ronald Bennett,
20, of East Orange, pleaded guilty 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.”
Lee
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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