Thirteen people have been charged in connection with operating a stolen car ring involving about 100 stolen cars worth millions of dollars.
The indictment names 13 people who allegedly acquired stolen cars, fabricated vehicle information, and then resold the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers.
- Norberto Pena Brito, a/k/a “Real,” 40, of the Bronx, New York;
- Wilkins Martinez Vargas, 38, of the Bronx;
- Noemi Solano Compres, 41, of the Bronx;
- Paula Abad Diaz, a/k/a “Mayi,” 35, of Yonkers, New York;
- Marlin Segura Martinez, a/k/a “Marlin Perez,” 35, of Yonkers;
- Angel Heredia Perez, 24, of the Bronx;
- Luis Vargas Sanchez, 24, of the Dominican Republic;
- Joel Abad Belen, 28, of the Bronx;
- Luis Brito Campusano, 37, of the Bronx;
- Tomas Lorenzo Jose, 38, of the Bronx;
- Yeremy Lorenzo Jose, 37, of the Bronx;
- Jholkis Melenciano Colon, 23, of the Bronx; and
- Eduardo Perez Estrella, 58, of the Bronx,
From approximately June 2024 through May 2026, the defendants and others acquired cars that had been stolen from victims in New York City, obscured the fact that those cars had been stolen, and, ultimately, sold the cars to unsuspecting buyers in New York and elsewhere.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Pete Gizas, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of an Indictment.
u.s. v. Brito Et Al. Indictment by scott.mcclallen
The defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Nine of the defendants were arrested and seven were presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
One defendant was arrested in the Western District of New York and detained.
“When they head to work, school, or elsewhere, New Yorkers expect to find their cars where they left them,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, the thirteen defendants charged here shattered that everyday expectation. By acquiring stolen cars, concealing their origin, and selling them to new victims, the defendants fostered a market for rampant theft, disrupted New Yorkers’ lives and security, and bilked innocent buyers out of their hard-earned dollars. New Yorkers have no tolerance for thieves, and neither do the women and men of the SDNY and our law enforcement partners.”
Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
“As alleged, these defendants stole dozens of vehicles from the hardworking public, altered the identification numbers and paperwork, and sold them as legitimate cars to unsuspecting families,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas. “A stolen vehicle is far more than lost property; this pervasive fraud upends daily routines, drains finances, and erodes the sense of safety that New Yorkers should be able to have in their own neighborhoods. As a lead member of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI New York will continue to relentlessly target, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal organizations that prey on our communities and threaten our livelihoods.”
The defendants and their co-conspirators effectively laundered these stolen cars in a variety of ways, including by covering their true Vehicle Identification Numbers (“VINs”) with new, fraudulent VINs and by replacing their federal certification labels with labels containing the new, fraudulent VINs.
“These 13 defendants acquired approximately 100 stolen cars worth millions of dollars and then sold them to unsuspecting buyers,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This elaborate scheme laundered stolen cars through multiple deceptive and illegal tactics designed to conceal their origins and take advantage of consumers. Thanks to the efforts of our NYPD investigators, along with our partners at HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, this pipeline has been dismantled and those responsible are being held accountable.”
13 CHARGED IN CONSPIRACY TO SELL OVER 100 STOLEN CARS
— HSI New York (@HSINewYork) June 10, 2026
➡️ https://t.co/9cG8PWcmCW
(@HSTFNCC, @SDNYnews, @NYPDNews; assistance from @HSIBuffalo, @nyspolice, @StamfordPolice, @insurancecrime, @VirginiaDMV, @HSINewEngland, @CBPPortDirNYNJ,@USMarshalsHQ, @USPISHQ, & @CommerceGov) pic.twitter.com/3mI6Dava7Q
The defendants and their co-conspirators also created fraudulent titles for the stolen cars; took the stolen cars for oil changes and inspections to generate new, fraudulent histories for those cars; and advertised the stolen cars on a social media marketplace. Through these methods, the defendants and their co-conspirators acquired approximately 100 cars, worth millions of dollars, and resold them to new victims for a huge, criminal profit.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Clayton praised the efforts of the NYPD Auto Crime Division Major Case Team and the special agents and task force officers from the HSI New York Seaport Trade Group.
The Office’s General Crimes Unit is handling the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and Bridget G. Johnston are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
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