Three men from Charlotte were charged in federal court today with a complex plot to steal and resell luxury cars. U.S. Attorney Dena J. King of the Western District of North Carolina announced the indictment, which accuses Jason Randall Spearman, Francisco Arnoldo Lopez Pena, and Jonathan Marquis Stitt of conspiring to break statutes that forbid trafficking in stolen automobiles. Unveiled today after being sealed, the grand jury’s indictment describes a multi-state scheme including the theft and modification of luxury automobiles.
U.S. Attorney King was accompanied by CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings and FBI Special Agent Robert M. DeWitt as she explained the indictment’s specifics. The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that between 2020 and October 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole millions of dollars’ worth of automobiles from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland. The defendants are charged with using bogus car registrations to avoid detection by the authorities and changing VINs to conceal the source of the stolen goods.
In order to conceal the crime and increase resale values, the thieves repainted and retagged cars from popular brands including Acura, Cadillac, Lamborghini, and Mercedes-Benz. Furthering their illegal activities, it is alleged that some of the spoiled goods were retained for personal use in addition to being sold. Spearman is also charged with possessing a firearm by a criminal, while Stitt is also accused with possessing stolen vehicles. Possession of a stolen vehicle carries a potential ten-year sentence, and conspiracy has a maximum punishment of five years in jail if found guilty.
The court appearance today is the fifth indictment of this type pertaining to federal offenses involving stolen automobiles in the Charlotte area since August 2023 (U.S. Attorney’s Office). In the past, people have been charged with similar crimes, including as stealing from dealerships and major transit hubs like Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Until Stitt, Lopez Pena, and Spearman are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the legal system upholds their innocence in spite of grave accusations.
The FBI and CMPD’s efforts in bringing forth the indictment have been recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, which also thanks Homeland Security Investigations and the National Insurance Crime Bureau for their support. Daniel Ryan and William Bozin, both assistant U.S. attorneys, are overseeing the case’s prosecution.
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