A different indicted in nationwide fraudulent vehicle purchaser paper tag plan | USAO-SDTX

HOUSTON – Much more expenses have been filed in the fraudulent paper license plate scheme involving phony automobile dealerships who issued extra than 700,000 illegitimate paper tags, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery.

Law enforcement arrested Daniel Rocky Christine-Tani, 33, Sugar Land, right now. He is envisioned to make his first look at 10 a.m. tomorrow ahead of U.S. Justice of the peace Judge Sam Sheldon.

A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 22-count superseding indictment May well 11 charging Christine-Tani aka Daniel Rocky Christine-Tahi, Ruben Gonzalez, Rocky Keys and Daniel Christine with conspiracy and many counts of wire fraud. The indictment also provides a lot more fees in opposition to acknowledged fugitive Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera, 32, past recognized of Houston. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is questioned to get hold of the FBI at 713-693-5000.

Co-conspirators Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 40, Houston, and Octavian Ocasio, 50, New York, ended up earlier billed and arrested in the similar scheme.

The indictment alleges all 4 participated in a plan involving the use of fictitious motor vehicle dealerships to concern and provide hundreds of thousands of Texas non permanent buyer tags devoid of promoting cars. They also allegedly employed e mail accounts and text messaging to converse and provide the fraudulent tags to purchasers during the United States. The four obtained and shared proceeds from the fraudulent sale of Texas purchaser tags, in accordance to the rates. 

In Texas, employed car dealerships ought to have an independent GDN license to acquire, provide or trade utilised motor vehicles. To get hold of a license candidates need to implement. At the time an applicant obtains a GDN license, they can purchase, sell or trade utilised cars and produce momentary customer tags for the transaction by means of the Texas Office of Motor Vehicle’s on-line eTag portal. The portal is world wide web-centered and password guarded, and only certified GDN holders can obtain it. Nonetheless, the GDN holder can produce other end users on their account to allow for entry to the portal to build and situation consumer tags.

The co-conspirators allegedly provided phony facts these as pretend identities, drivers licenses, lease agreements and business symptoms in the on the net application portal to attain GDN licenses for fictitious car or truck dealerships. The indictment further more alleges they advertised the sale of Texas purchaser tags by way of Facebook and Instagram.

According to the rates, the unlawful tags pose a danger to the community and legislation enforcement mainly because purchasers use them to avoid obtaining registration, basic safety inspections and legal responsibility insurance. They can also allegedly be utilised to conceal identities from legislation enforcement.

If convicted, just about every faces up to 20 yrs in jail and a achievable $250,000 most great.

The FBI executed the investigation with support from Travis County Precinct 3 Constables Office, Houston Police Office, Texas Section of General public Security, sheriff’s workplaces in Harris and Ft. Bend Counties, Texas Department of Motor Autos, New York State Law enforcement and New York Metropolis Law enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the scenario.

An indictment is a official accusation of criminal perform, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed harmless except convicted through because of process of regulation.