LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — After a thorough investigation by multiple agencies, Lancaster County officials announced that 23 individuals have been arrested in relation to illegal vehicle sales activities, tax fraud, and welfare fraud.
In January 2018, the PSP Lancaster, Vehicle Fraud Investigations Unit, initiated an investigation into illegal vehicle sales via social media advertising.
They say individuals posing as licensed salespersons or private citizens were found to be advertising excessive numbers of vehicles on social media. Once investigators found the owners of the social media accounts, it was discovered that none of them possessed a Pennsylvania Dealer or Salesperson license from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The Investigations Unit then contacted the respective States where the dealerships were licensed and determined that the dealerships were started by an out-of-state resident.They were licensed by the states as wholesale vehicle dealers, meaning that the dealerships could buy, sell or trade vehicles at wholesale vehicle auctions, but not to individuals. The owners of the dealerships then utilized their licenses to begin a corrupt and structured organization.
Officials say they solicited friends and people working at auctions to join them by promising them a dealer license and full access to wholesale vehicle auctions.Instead of a dealer license, the members were provided with an Auction ACCESS card, which allows dealership employees to enter auctions, act on behalf of the dealerships, and other administrative functions; but it does not permit them to buy cars and retail them to citizens.Prospective members paid a fee between $2,000 and $3,000 to join the organization, and then a monthly fee nicknamed of $250 to maintain the AuctionACCESS card.The members would then buy cars at auctions, drive them home, and advertise to sell them on social media.
After investigating the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office says 23 members of the criminal enterprises are being charged.
Locations involved include:
- America’s Auto Auction Lancaster, Lancaster County
- Garden Spot Auto Auction, Lancaster County
- CarMax Auto Auction, Lancaster County
- Manheim-PA Auto Auction, Lancaster County
- Manheim-Keystone Auto Auction, Dauphin County
The following individuals were charged:
1. Marcus Bruce Skinner (Leader of County Motors and Champ Motors)
B/N-Male, 50 years of age
Reisterstown, MD
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Conspiracy to Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Altered, Forged or Counterfeit Documents and Plates; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
2. Dionne Renee Skinner (Leader of County Motors and Champ Motors)
B/N-Female, 50 years of age
Reistertown, MD
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Conspiracy to Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
3. Ricardo Mancini Robinson (Owner of County Motors)
B/N-Male, 50 years of age
Silver Spring, MD
Charged with: Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Taxation – Failure to Pay Corporate Tax; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Taxation – Failure to File Employer Withholding Tax Return; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License.
4. Herbert Christian III (Owner of Half-AMill Auto)
W/N-Male, 26 years of age
Bay Shore, NY
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Conspiracy to Commit Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
5. Darryl Champ (Owner of Champ Motors)
B/N-Male, 50 years of age
Glen Burnie, MD
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Taxation – Failure to File Employer Withholding Tax Return; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
6. Kurtis Kofi Danquah (Owner of Ultra Ridez)
B/N-Male, 29 years of age
Marietta, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Conspiracy to Commit Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Taxation – Failure to Collect and Pay State Income Tax; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
7. Dashaun Kenneth Guzman (Leader/Recruiter of County Motors and Champ Motors)
B/H-Male, 29 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Conspiracy to Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Welfare Fraud; Tampering with Public Records; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Taxation – Fraudulent or False Return; Taxation – Fails to Collect and Remit Sales Tax; Taxation – Fails to File Personal Income Tax Return; Trademark Counterfeiting;
Tampering with Records; Altered, Forged or Counterfeit Documents and Plates; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
8. Martha Lorraine Moore (Member of County Motors and Champ Motors)
W/N-Female, 27 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Conspiracy to Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Fraudulent Attainment of Food Stamp Assistance (SNAP); Fraudulent Obtainment of Medical Assistance; Theft by Deception; Tampering with Public Records; Taxation – Fraudulent or False Return; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Unsworn Falsification to Authorities; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
9. Juan “Johnny” Yurnet, Jr. (Member/Recruiter of County Motors, Half-AMill Autos, and Ultra Ridez)
W/H-Male, 39 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Fraudulent Attainment of Food Stamp Assistance (SNAP); Fraudulent Obtainment of Medical Assistance; Theft by Deception; Taxation – Fraudulent or False Return; Taxation – Fails to Collect and Remit Sales Tax; Taxation – Fails to File Personal Income Tax Return; Unsworn Falsification to Authorities; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
10. Justin Eric Range (Member of County Motors and Half-AMill Autos)
W/N-Male, 38 years of age
Marietta, PA
Charged with: Corrupt Organizations; Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Organizations; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Theft by Deception; Taxation – Fraudulent or False Return; Taxation – Fails to Collect and Remit Sales Tax; Taxation – Files a False or Fraudulent Personal Income Tax Return; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
11. Rafael “Ralphy” Benito Soto (Member of County Motors)
W/H-Male, 39 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Taxation – Files a False or Fraudulent Personal Income Tax Return; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
12. Carlos Alfredo Ramos-Lebron (Member of Champ Motors)
W/H-Male, 29 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
13. Miguel Acevedo-Hernandez (Member of County Motors)
W/H-Male, 38 years of age
Reading, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practice; Tampering with Public Records; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Taxation – Files a False or Fraudulent Personal Income Tax Return; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
14. Travis Centel Washington (Member of County Motors)
B/H-Male, 35 years of age
Baltimore, MD
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
15. Dano J. Delacruz (Member of County Motors)
W/N-Male, 27 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Taxation – Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Personal Income Tax; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
16. Nicholas Kinkade Dalton (Member of County Motors)
B/N-Male, 34 years of age
Parkville, MD
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
17. Christine Marie Jordan (Member of County Motors)
W/N-Female, 28 years of age
Lititz, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practices; Theft by Deception; Tampering with Public Records; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Taxation – Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Personal Income Tax; Altered, Forged or Counterfeit Documents and Plates; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
18. Alex Montanez (Member of County Motors)
W/N-Male, 42 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practices; Taxation – Fails to File Personal Income Tax Return; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
19. Keven Perez Ayala (Member of Champ Motors)
W/H-Male, 36 years of age
Reading, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practices; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violations.
20. Robert Donta Christmas (Member of County Motors and Champ Motors)
B/N-Male, 44 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Deceptive and Fraudulent Business Practices; Tampering with Public Records; Taxation – Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Personal Income Tax; Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License.
21. Mariano Perez (Member of Ultra Ridez)
W/H-Male, 63 years of age
Lancaster, PA
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
22. Victor Elvim Acevedo-Cortes (Member of Champ Motors)
W/H-Male, 31 years of age
Reading, PA
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
23. Brandon Junior Carrasquillo (Member of Champ Motors)
W/H-Male, 25 years of age
Reading, PA
Charged with: Impersonating a Holder of a Professional or Occupational License; Board of Vehicles Act Violation.
