Union County Man Receives 57-Month Prison Sentence in Stolen Vehicle Scheme

Extensive Conspiracy Uncovered Involving Altered VINs and Fraudulent Sales

A Union County resident, Nathaniel Bell, 27, from Linden, New Jersey, has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for orchestrating a complex conspiracy involving stolen vehicles. Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced that Bell faced charges related to receiving stolen vehicles, altering vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and transporting stolen vehicles across state lines.

Details from the court reveal that Bell led a group that acquired stolen vehicles from several states, including New Jersey, New York, and Florida. They then secured fraudulent titles and altered VINs to mask the vehicles' stolen status. These vehicles were subsequently sold to unsuspecting dealerships and private buyers, generating illegal profits. In a particularly audacious twist, some vehicles were even stolen back from purchasers to be resold.

Bell's guilty plea covered one count of conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles, five counts of altering or removing VINs, and one count of transporting a stolen vehicle. His sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler also includes a three-year supervised release and an order to pay restitution.

Co-conspirators Johnathan Tanksley, 31, from Orange; L’Hubermane Felix, 25, from Miami, Florida; and Dayanna Sarango-Hidalgo, 29, from Newark have also pleaded guilty to similar charges. Felix has already been sentenced to 24 months in prison, while Tanksley and Sarango-Hidalgo are awaiting their sentencing.