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TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that three Newark men were arraigned in
court yesterday on charges that they allegedly
operated “chop shops” and sold
the parts from stolen automobiles. A bench
warrant was issued for a fourth defendant.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza
Dagli, the four defendants were charged
in an Aug. 24 Union County grand jury indictment
for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy
to operate “chop shops” in which
stolen vehicles were towed to different
locations and stripped of their parts, which
were then sold. Three of the four defendants
were arraigned yesterday (Oct. 4) by Superior
Court Judge Stuart Peim in Union County:
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Jose Mendez, 23, of Newark,
was charged with second-degree conspiracy,
second-degree operation of a facility
for sale of stolen automobile or parts,
and four counts of third-degree receiving
stolen property.
- Milton
Mijangos, 27, of Newark, was
charged with second-degree conspiracy,
second-degree operation of a facility
for sale of stolen automobile or parts,
and three counts of third-degree receiving
stolen property.
- Angel
Torres-Rosado, 32, of Newark,
was charged with second-degree conspiracy,
second-degree operation of a facility
for sale of stolen automobile or parts,
and one count of third-degree receiving
stolen property.
Each
of the defendants was released on his own
recognizance.
A
bench warrant was issued for the fourth
defendant, Mario Cabrera, 37, of North Bergen,
who was charged with second-degree conspiracy,
and nine-counts of third-degree receiving
stolen property.
The
indictment alleges that between March 13
and Sept. 11, 2009, as part of the conspiracy,
Mendez operated a garage at 320 Nesbit Avenue
in Irvington to disassemble a stolen 1992
Honda Civic, a stolen 2006 Acura RSX, and
a stolen 2000 Acura Integra into their component
parts for resale. Torres-Rosado also allegedly
operated the garage at 320 Nesbit Terrace
in Irvington and a garage at 224 Roseville
Avenue in Newark to disassemble the stolen
2000 Acura Integra into its component parts
for resale. Mijangos allegedly operated
a garage at 114 Davenport Avenue in Newark
to disassemble a stolen 2004 Acura RSX and
a stolen 2000 Honda Civic into their component
parts for resale; and Cabrera allegedly
received the stripped frames belonging to
a 1998 Honda Civic and a stolen 2001 Acura
Integra. Cabrera is charged with allegedly
towing the frames from the “chop shop”
location in Irvington to Linden for resale
or other disposal, knowing that the vehicles
had been stolen.
The
indictment also alleges that Cabrera and
Mijangos received the stolen 2000 Honda
Civic and the stolen 2004 Acura RSX; Cabrera
and Mendez allegedly received two stolen
1992 Honda Civics and a stolen 2006 Honda
Civic; Cabrera, Mendez and Mijangos allegedly
received the stolen 2006 Acura RSX; and
Cabrera and Torres-Rosado allegedly received
the stolen 2000 Acura Integra, all knowing
that the vehicles had been stolen.
Detective
Wendy Berg, Deputy Attorney General Nicole
Rizzolo and Former Deputy Attorney General
John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation.
They were assisted by Detectives Lisa Egan
and Nicole Eiker. Higgins presented the
case to the Union County grand jury. Rizzolo
represented the Office of the Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor at the arraignment. Acting
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Dagli thanked
the North Bergen Police Department and the
West New York Police Department for their
assistance in the investigation.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $150,000, while third-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of five
years in state prison and a criminal fine
of $15,000.
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