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For Immediate Release:  
For Further Information:
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June 11, 2008  

Division of Criminal Justice
609-292-4791

Office of The Attorney General
- Anne Milgram, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
- Gregory A. Paw, Director

Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
- Greta Gooden Brown, Insurance Fraud Prosecutor

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Passaic County Man Charged With Leading Stolen Car Trafficking Network And Weapons Offenses

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TRENTON - Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a Paterson man was indicted today on charges that he acted as a leader of a stolen car trafficking network and committed various weapons offenses.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Jose Torres, 35, of Paterson, was charged with being a leader of an auto-trafficking network, receiving stolen property, fencing, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, and two counts of possession of a weapon by a convicted person, all in the second-degree. Torres was also charged with third-degree conspiracy, two counts of third-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, fourth-degree possession of hollow nose bullets, and two counts of fourth-degree unlawful disposition of a weapon.

The Morris County grand jury indictment alleges that between Nov. 15 and Dec. 6, 2006, Torres acted as an organizer, supervisor, financier, and manager of a network engaged in buying and selling stolen automobiles. The indictment charges that Torres knowingly took possession of 8 stolen vehicles: a 2002 BMW 540i, a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, a 2006 Toyota Camry, a 2005 Toyota Sequoia, a 2006 Toyota Corolla LE, a 2004 Toyota Corolla CE, a 2006 Toyota Highlander, and a 2004 Toyota Sienna. Several of the cars were allegedly stolen from Crestmont Toyota in Pompton Plains.

The indictment further alleges that Torres conspired with others to possess handguns without a permit, or without having first been licensed to possess handguns, and to sell handguns to others. The indictment also alleges that he possessed a handgun for an unlawful purpose. It is alleged that Torres unlawfully possessed or controlled an Iver Johnson .38 Special and a Davis Industries Model P380, .38-caliber handgun, and sold the weapons to an undercover detective from the Division of Criminal Justice. Torres is a convicted felon and therefore is prohibited from possessing any firearm in the State of New Jersey.

State Investigator Vincent Gaeta and Deputy Attorney General John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation. Higgins presented the case to the Morris County grand jury.

“Frequently insurance fraud investigations lead to evidence of stolen automobiles,” said Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown. “These particular thefts were uncovered as part of an insurance fraud investigation of stolen vehicles, and the resulting insurance claims.”

The indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Second-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment of 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000, while third-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a fine of $15,000. Fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment of 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Additionally, a defendant convicted for possession of a weapon by a convicted person faces a mandatory parole ineligibility period of five years.

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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