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TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that an Essex County man was sentenced to
state prison today for acting as a leader
of a multi-county automobile and motorcycle
theft ring.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza
Dagli, Demond Conley, 36, of Irvington,
was sentenced to six years in state prison,
including three years of parole ineligibility
by Superior Court Judge Michael A. Petrolle
in Essex County. Conley’s sentence
was based on his guilty plea to second-degree
charges of leading an auto theft trafficking
network and eluding police. The charges
were contained in an April 15 state grand
jury indictment.
In
pleading guilty on June 30, Conley admitted
that between Aug. 11 and Nov. 10, 2009,
he was an organizer of a scheme to unlawfully
distribute or transport stolen high-end
automobiles and motorcycles in New Jersey.
Conley trafficked in a number of stolen
motorcycles and automobiles on various dates
over this time period. On Nov. 10, 2009,
he was arrested in Irvington as he completed
sales of a stolen 2008 BMW 750, valued at
approximately $85,000, and a stolen 2009
Nissan 370Z, valued at approximately $35,000.
Conley
also admitted that at the time of his arrest,
when law enforcement officers of the Essex/Union
Auto Theft Task Force tried to stop him,
he fled the scene and attempted to cause
serious bodily injury to the officers by
ramming police vehicles.
Also
charged in the April 15 indictment were:
- Terrence
Simonson, 30, of Newark. Simonson
was charged with second-degree conspiracy;
second-degree fencing; second-degree eluding;
second-degree aggravated assault; and
second-degree hindering apprehension.
- Demetrius
Ross,
34, of Newark. Ross was charged with two
counts of second-degree theft by unlawful
taking; two counts of second-degree receipt
of stolen property; third-degree theft
by unlawful taking; third-degree receipt
of stolen property; and second-degree
fencing.
- Josef
T. Allen, 23, of Irvington. Allen
was charged with third-degree conspiracy
and third-degree fencing.
- Kelli
Coleman, 40, of Newark. Coleman
was charged with third-degree conspiracy
and second-degree insurance fraud.
- "John
Doe" (also
known as "J.P."), age and address
unknown, was charged with third-degree
fencing.
Simonson
and Ross were also arrested on Nov. 10,
2009 at the scene of the sale of the stolen
BMW 750 and Nissan 370Z by detectives from
the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
and officers from the Essex/Union Auto Theft
Task Force.
The
cases against the remaining defendants are
pending. The indictment is merely an accusation
and the defendants are presumed innocent
until proven guilty.
Detective
Jarek Pyrzanowski and Deputy Attorney General
John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation.
They were assisted by Detectives Wendy Berg
and Amy Carson. Deputy Attorney General
Higgins represented the state at the sentencing.
Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Dagli
thanked the DCJ Gangs & Organized Crime
Bureau Central Squad, Essex/Union Auto Theft
Task Force, the Port Authority of New York
& New Jersey Police, and Keystone Insurance/Midlantic
AAA Insurance Company for their assistance
in the investigation.
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