(more) for immediate release contact - Queens County District Attorney

DISTRICT ATTORNEY
QUEENS COUNTY
125-01 QUEENS BOULEVARD
KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK 11415-1568
718-286-6000
Release # 30-2011
www.queensda.org
RICHARD A. BROWN
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: PRESS OFFICE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011 718-286-6315
AUTO THEFT RING SMASHED IN UNDERCOVER OPERATION
Ten Defendants Charged With Stealing 17 Automobiles, Selling Some Of Them On Craigslist
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by New York City Police Commissioner
Raymond W. Kelly, today said that an auto theft ring allegedly responsible for stealing seventeen
automobiles over the last year and reselling them to friends, family members, on the Internet and out of state
has been shut down. Six of the ten defendants charged in the case have been indicted for enterprise
corruption among other charges.
The defendants have been charged in a multiple-count indictment with, among other crimes,
enterprise corruption under New York State’s Organized Crime Control Act. The defendants are accused
of stealing approximately seventeen automobiles – including expensive models such as an Audi Q7, a BMW
and a Subaru – from Queens County and elsewhere and selling them on craigslist, as well as to friends and
family – and sometimes keeping the cars for their own use. The crew is accused of stealing and then
“tagging” the cars –essentially changing the vehicle identification number and registering them with
“washed” titles.
District Attorney Brown said, “A sixteen-month investigation dubbed ‘Tag Team’ that utilized both
court-authorized wiretaps and surveillance, as well as undercover detective work, has dismantled an auto
theft ring that stole most of its inventory off of the streets of Queens, then stamped new vehicle
identification numbers (VINs) on the stolen automobiles and sold them to buyers, sometimes advertising
the cars on the Internet site craigslist. There have been historic drops in auto theft throughout Queens County
and we maintain zero tolerance for auto thieves.”
The District Attorney continued, “When I first took office, there were some 52,000 cars stolen in
Queens County. Last year we were at just a little more than 3,400 cars stolen – a decrease of more than 90
percent. As such, we remain committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting such conduct. Those
who make the mistake of setting up shop in Queens County face serious felony charges and prison
sentences.”
Commissioner Kelly said, “The suspects gave ‘All In The Family’ a new connotation in Queens by
relying on family and friends to steal cars there. But the comparison ends there. Persistence by police and
prosecutors has helped to drive down auto theft from a high of over 140 cars a day in the 1990s to fewer than
10 a day last year. I want to commend the NYPD’s Auto Crime Division and the Queen’s District Attorney’s
office for working together to bring down this group of car thieves.”
The defendants have been variously charged with enterprise corruption, third- and fourth-degree
criminal possession of stolen property, fourth- and fifth-degree conspiracy, illegal possession of a vehicle
identification number, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree forgery. Most of the defendants were
arraigned yesterday afternoon before Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard L. Buchter. If convicted, the
six defendants charged with enterprise corruption face up to 25 years in prison.
The charges are the result of a 16-month joint undercover investigation by the New York City Police
Department’s Auto Crime Division and the Queens District Attorney’s Organized Crime and Rackets
Bureau.
It is alleged that the defendants and others were members and associates of an automobile theft ring,
an organized criminal enterprise based in Queens County that illicitly operated in the New York
metropolitan area and stole automobiles mainly in Queens. In one instance, it is alleged, the defendants
stole a 1987 Buick Grand National GNX valued at $50,000 from a man three hours after it was sold to him
– before he had a chance to register it in his name.
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It is additionally alleged that during the execution of a search warrant yesterday at the home of
alleged ringleader Clayton Delgado investigators recovered various materials allegedly used to perpetrate
the charged crimes including approximately 100 vehicle identification number plates and federal stickers,
eight cell phones, numerous keys, a key making kit and vehicle titles. The NYPD also recovered evidence
indicating that Delgado was bleaching one dollar bills and using his printer to make counterfeit one hundred
dollar bills.
In executing a search warrant at the home of co-defendants Ramon and Israel Mercado, investigators
allegedly recovered a .22 caliber semi-automatic and numerous rounds of ammunition belonging to a variety
of different firearms including an AK-47 and a .9mm. Numerous stickers, vehicle identification number
plates, titles and keys were also allegedly recovered at the Mercado house.
The investigation was conducted by Detective Daniel G. Grant of the New York City Police
Department’s Auto Crime Division under the supervision of Sergeant Brian Murphy, Lieutenant Emmanuel
Berdermitzakis and Captain Joseph Kenny and the overall supervision of Chief Anthony Izzo.
District Attorney Brown thanked Ed Carlson and Thomas Lohmann of the National Insurance Crime
Bureau for their assistance, as well as the assistance of the New York State Insurance Fraud Bureau.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Hana C. Kim, of the District Attorney’s
Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau, under the supervision of Gerard A. Brave, Bureau Chief, Mark L.
Katz, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Mary M. Lowenburg, Chief, Auto Crime and Insurance Fraud Unit, and
the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and
Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Linda M. Cantoni.
It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty.
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DEFENDANT INFORMATION:
E-version of press release posted at www.queensda.org
*Clayton Delgado, 23, of 1805 Norman Street, in Ridgewood, Queens, is expected to be arraigned today.
*Ramon Mercado, 34, of 92 Himrod Street, in Brooklyn, is expected to be arraigned today.
*Melissa Marrero, 18, of 143 Palmetto Street, apartment 2D, in Brooklyn, was arraigned yesterday and
ordered held on $35,000 cash bail or $70,000 bond.
*Israel Mercado, 24, of 92 Himrod Street, in Brooklyn, was arraigned yesterday and ordered held on
$300,000 bail.
*Michael Curiel, 20, of 146 Cornelia Street, in Brooklyn, is expected to be arraigned today.
*Ashley Soto, 21, of 89-25 Albert Road, in Howard Beach, Queens, was arraigned yesterday and ordered
held on $25,000 bail.
Anthony Perez, 22, of 834 N. Locust Street, in Hazleton, PA., is a fugitive.
Manuel Rivera, 29, of 17 West Little Creek Road, in Norfolk, VA., is a fugitive.
Raymond Soto, 20, of 453 42 nd Street in Brooklyn, was ordered held without bail.
Cristian Soto, 26, of 453 42 nd Street in Brooklyn, was ordered held without bail.
* Defendants charged with enterprise corruption
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