Special Investigators Break Up Auto Theft Ring

Five of the six people allegedly involved in a $2.5 million auto theft ring centered in Hillsborough County are now in police custody.

“Operation Family Affair” centered around two brothers with lengthy criminal histories. The investigation revealed they played a role in the theft of more than 30 vehicles from more than 20 dealerships beginning in December 2023.

The brothers recruited individuals who stole high-end Chrysler models such as Charger Hellcat and Challenger Hellcat. Other high-end models targeted by these individuals included: Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Camaro, Jeep TrackHawk, and Dodge Ram TRX. Information provided by these individuals helped break the case.

“The work of our Auto Theft Unit, alongside our partners throughout the state, sends a loud and resounding message: there is no place for vehicle theft in Florida,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “These individuals not only conspired to commit a continuous pattern of crime but were deriving substantial profits from their activity. Our detectives and deputies conducted a thorough investigation and held these criminals accountable for their actions.”

“This organized crime ring terrorized car dealerships stealing 30 new vehicles from 20 lots in 12 different Florida counties,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “While they operated fast, they didn’t have enough gas to outrun the law, and now that HCSO has put the brakes on their operation—my Statewide Prosecutors will ensure they pay for their multimillion dollar crime spree.”

Multiagency Investigations

Details matter in criminal investigations. These details are difficult to manage in multiagency investigations. For example, sheriffs’ deputies might arrest a suspect and turn the suspect over to special investigators for questioning. The special investigators assume sheriff’s deputies advised the suspect of his Miranda rights, and vice versa.

The Fifth Amendment gives suspects the absolute right to remain silent. They may refuse to answer questions, other than basic name and address questions. They may also refuse to do anything, other than follow basic put-your-hands-behind-your-head commands.

If officers don’t apprise suspects of this right prior to custodial interrogation, and defendants invoke this right, any evidence that investigators obtain as a result, either directly or indirectly, is inadmissible.

Direct evidence usually includes oral statements as well as lineup identifications. It could also include trying on murder gloves. Indirect evidence usually includes the name of someone else higher up in an organization or the location of illegal buried treasure.

Under current law, defendants must affirmatively invoke their Fifth Amendment rights, or they waive them. Simply remaining silent isn’t enough.

On a related note, before investigators draw blood samples, they usually need search warrants. Multiagency investigations sometimes affect search warrants as well. The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

Multiagency investigations also affect court cases, at least in state court. County judges only have jurisdiction over crimes committed in that county. If officials file criminal charges in the wrong county, a Tampa criminal defense lawyer can get those charges thrown out of court.

Informer Tips

Information provided by paid CIs (confidential informants) is often critical to investigators in large investigations. These tips usually have reliability issues.

Most CIs provide information in exchange for leniency or for cash. The leniency is usually a promise to drop charges if the witness cooperates. Incidentally, that’s an empty promise. Prosecutors, not law enforcement officers, decide what charges to file. Alternatively, the police pay informants for information. In some cases, several thousand dollars, at the minimum, is at stake.

Quite simply, some people will say practically anything for love or money. Therefore, if the CI provides no corroborating evidence, a Tampa criminal defense lawyer can successfully challenge the legal reliability of that information. If the judge admits the evidence, an attorney can make the same reliability argument to jurors who often believe that officers use such information to railroad defendants.

Outstanding Arrest Warrants

A few final words about outstanding arrest warrants. These warrants have no expiration date. Once issued, they’re valid until served. Frequently, people come into our office after they’ve been arrested for an outstanding warrant that’s more than five years old.

Basically, an arrest warrant is a time bomb without a visible timer. The bomb will eventually go off, but there’s no telling when. So, voluntary surrender is usually the best option in these cases, especially if an attorney lays the groundwork in terms of jail release and a defense to the case.

Depend on a Hard-Hitting Hillsborough County Attorney

A criminal charge is not the same thing as a criminal conviction. For a confidential consultation with an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Tampa, contact the OA Law Firm. We routinely handle matters throughout the Sunshine State.

Source:

westorlandonews.com/auto-theft-unit-dismantles-2-5-million-florida-car-theft-ring/