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The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has announced the arrest of 15 individuals involved in an alleged chop shop scheme in Lebanon County. According to Attorney General Dave Sunday, the operation, named "Operation Dirty Paper," uncovered an "elaborate, multi-layered criminal organization" that generated over $500,000 through illegal activities.
The suspects are accused of stealing rental vehicles and taking them to El Fuerte Tire Shop and El Fuerte Auto Sales to be dismantled and sold on the black market. The alleged scheme involved multiple criminal activities, including corrupt organizations, insurance fraud, bank fraud, identity theft, and forgery.
The investigation revealed that Angel Vidal ran one of the chop shops from a home, while Yonathan Peguero-Rodriguez and Johandeiry Bonilla allegedly operated the shops on Maple Street. Vidal is already in custody at Northumberland County Prison for similar charges.
Sunday stated that the suspects used fake IDs to steal vehicles, which were then dismantled and prepared for resale at prices below market value. This allowed the group to dispose of the vehicles before rental companies could detect the theft.
The El Fuerte shops are accused of not properly inspecting vehicles, misrepresenting vehicle prices, renting dealer plates, and falsifying records. The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Erik Olsen and Deputy Attorney General Jose Perez.
Sunday commended the efforts of the investigators from the Insurance Fraud and Organized Crime sections, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police, for their role in dismantling the criminal enterprise.