| TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Acting
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi
announced that two New Jersey men have pleaded
guilty for their roles in a stolen vehicle
ring. According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi,
Reginald E. Lee, Jr., 38, of Elizabeth,
pleaded guilty yesterday (Oct. 3) to second-degree
receiving stolen property before Superior
Court Judge Paul M. DePascale in Hudson
County. Lee was charged in a June 3, 2011
state grand jury indictment.
Judge
DePascale scheduled Lee’s sentencing
for Nov. 10. Under the plea agreement, the
state will recommend that Lee be sentenced
to five years in state prison.
In
pleading guilty, Lee admitted that between
Aug. 15, 2006 and Oct. 16, 2006, he was
in possession of stolen vehicles valued
at a total of approximately $243,645, knowing
that the vehicles had been or believed to
have been stolen. The stolen vehicles included:
a 2001 Honda Accord; a 2006 Kawasaki ZX636
motorcycle; a 2003 Dodge Ram 50; a 1998
Land Rover Discovery; a 2003 Ford Econoline
Conversion Van; a 1998 Toyota 4Runner; a
2004 Ford Econoline Conversion Van; a 1999
Mercedes Benz E430; a 2002 Subaru WRX; a
2005 Infinity FX35; a 2006 Dodge Charger;
a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica; a 2004 BMW M5;
a 2004 Ford Explorer; and a 2006 Audi A3.
Also
yesterday, A’Jon D. Rogers, 26, of
East Orange, pleaded guilty to third-degree
receiving stolen property. The charge was
contained in a separate June 3, 2011 state
grand jury indictment. In pleading guilty,
Rogers admitted that on Nov. 1, 2006, he
was in possession of an Infinity FX 35,
knowing that it had been stolen.
Judge DePascale scheduled Rogers’
sentencing for Nov. 10. Under the plea agreement,
the state will recommend that Rogers be
sentenced to three years of probation.
The
charges against both defendants were the
result of an undercover investigation by
the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
into a stolen vehicle ring. The investigation
involved detectives from the Office of the
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor working in an
undercover capacity to purchase stolen vehicles.
Sergeant Jarek Pyrzanowski and Deputy Attorney
General Steven Bennet were assigned to the
investigation. Earlier investigation tasks
were completed by Detectives Johnny Ho and
Jose Vendas, formerly of the Division of
Criminal Justice, and Detective Toni Petreski.
Deputy Attorney General Bennet represented
the state at the guilty plea hearings.
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