NJ Man Sentenced for Role in Auto Theft Ring

A multi-state auto theft ring was disbanded in New Jersey as three of the six individuals involved have landed in jail or on probation.

According to NewJerseynewsroom.com and state Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi, Terrence Simonson was sentenced by Michael A. Petrolle, a state Superior Court Judge in Newark last week. The sentence was based on Simonson’s February 9^th guilty plea to third-degree fencing and third-degree aggravated assault. The charges were contained in a state grand jury indictment that was returned on April 15, 2010.

In pleading guilty, Simonson admitted that he was involved in the sales of a stolen 2009 Nissan 370Z valued at $35,000 and a stolen 2008 BMW 750 valued at $85,000. He also admitted that on Nov. 10, 2009, when officers of the Essex/Union Auto Theft Task Force attempted to stop motor vehicles driven by Simonson and another person in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in Irvington, the two men fled and attempted to serious harm the officers by ramming their police vehicles.

The sentencing was due to the investigation of a widespread automobile and motorcycle theft ring. Detectives from the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and officers from the Essex/Union Auto Theft Task Force arrested six people in Newark on November 10, 2009 who were thought to have parts in the ring.

As noted in the 2010 press release, others involved were:

• Demond Conley of Irvington; he was sentenced back in January to six years in state prison, which includes three years of parole ineligibility. Conley’s sentence was due to the fact that he pled guilty to two second-degree charges, one of leading an auto theft trafficking network and one of eluding police.
• Tito Moses of Morrisville, Pa; following his guilty plea on March 3, 2010, he was sentenced on September 22^nd to five years for second-degree fencing.
• Kelli Coleman of Newark was also was sentenced on September 22^nd, to three years of probation. She was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution and a $5,000 civil insurance fraud fine. She also has to perform 150 hours of community service. Coleman had previously pled guilty to third-degree insurance fraud.
• Josef T. Allen of Irvington; he was charged with third-degree conspiracy and third-degree fencing.
• Terrence Simonson of Newark; he was charged with second degree conspiracy, second-degree fencing, second-degree eluding, second-degree aggravated assault and second-degree hindering apprehension.
• Demetrius Ross of Newark; he was charged with two counts of second-degree theft by unlawful taking, two counts of second-degree receipt of stolen property, third-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree receipt of stolen property and second-degree fencing.

Conley, Allen and Coleman allegedly conspired to sell a stolen 2007 Cadillac Escalade, valued at approximately $37,000, to an undercover detective. Coleman allegedly submitted an affidavit of theft to Keystone Insurance Company/Mid-Atlantic AAA for the alleged theft of the Escalade, even though she knew the vehicle had not been stolen from her. It is alleged that Coleman filed a fraudulent police report with the Irvington Police Department claiming that she last saw the Escalade at 12 noon on Sept. 16 and discovered it missing at approximately 1:30p.m., when, in fact, the vehicle had been sold to an undercover detective on Sept. 15, 2009