A Federal Grand Jury has indicted three Charlotte men charged with altering vehicle identification numbers (VIN) on high-end vehicles stolen from states along the east coast, including a new Chevrolet Silverado stolen reported stolen in Iredell County.
Jonathan “Rock” Marquis Stitt, 36, Francisco “Frank” Arnoldo Lopez Pena, 41, and Jason “Jaso” Randall Spearman, 43, all are charged with conspiracy to traffic in motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts and tampering with, altering or removing a VIN, according to court documents.
Stitt is also charged with two counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Spearman is also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court documents.
The indictment said that between 2020 and October 2024, Stitt, Pena, Spearman and their co-conspirators worked together to steal millions of dollars worth of high-end vehicles from businesses and individuals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland. The crew purposefully chose high-end vehicles to maximize profits according to a press relese from U.S. Attorney Dena King.
The indictment mentioned a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado stolen from Iredell County on July 10, 2023. Stitt had a photo of the truck’s VIN saved in his phone, the indictment said.
The indictment said once in possession of the stolen vehicles, Stitt, Pena and Spearman altered or tampered with the original VINs and repainted the vehicles to avoid detection by law enforcement and to maximize profits. The men also used fraudulent 30-day tags on the stolen vehicles and caused some of the stolen vehicles to be fraudulently registered with state motor vehicle agencies, King said.
If convicted, Stitt could face up to 30 years in prison. Pena could face up to 10 years in prison. Spearman could face up to 25 years.