Fugitive arrested in vehicle ‘title-washing’ ring that operated in Berks, Lehigh

The leader of a vehicle title-washing ring that operated in Pennsylvania — including in Berks and Lehigh counties — has been arrested in Mexico, state officials said.

Anthony E. Troncoso, 42, was charged in August and remained a fugitive until his recent arrest in Mexico City, Attorney General Dave Sunday said.

A grand jury charged Troncoso and 12 others — including five from Reading — in the ring that profited over $1 million selling high-end vehicles stolen in Florida, Sunday said in an announcement Tuesday.

The organization “title-washed,” which means participants “cleaned” a vehicle’s paper trail of attached liens or loans by registering it in another state with fraudulent documentation, officials said when announcing the charges in August.

Officials said the ring registered the vehicles at licensed tag agencies in Berks, Lehigh and Dauphin counties as well as the PennDOT headquarters in Dauphin County.

After washing the vehicle titles, the group sold the cars to private buyers as well as at auctions and dealerships, officials said.

The most popular vehicles sold were luxury brands Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover, Audi, Lexus and Infiniti, and most of the sales happened in 2022 and 2023, authorities said.

Troncoso is charged with nine felonies and six misdemeanors, including felony corrupt organizations, washing vehicle titles and theft by deception.

Pablo Correa, 40, also was recently arrested in Mexico City, Sunday said. Prosecutors previously said Correa listed an address in Apopka, Fla.

Troncoso and Correa were arraigned in Dauphin County Court, with bail set at $1 million and $500,000, respectively.

“Capturing these individuals were high priorities since we filed charges in August, alleging Troncoso orchestrated this highly-profitable scheme here in the commonwealth,” Sunday said. “I thank our federal partners, and other law enforcement that assisted in apprehending these individuals and bringing them to Pennsylvania, where they will face very serious criminal charges.”

The following were previously charged:

• Brandon Troncoso, 22, of Reading. He is Anthony Troncoso’s son.

• Aida Flores, 43, of Reading. She is Brandon Troncoso’s mother.

• Christina Demase, 40, of Riverside, Calif. She is Anthony Toncoso’s girlfriend.

• Jean Garcia Rodriguez, 25, of Reading.

• Samantha Rosario, 26, of Reading.

• Heicha Vega-Baez, 34, of Reading.

• Michael Ramirez, 36, of Homestead, Fla.

• Fabiola Lucena, 35, of Miami.

• Jose Ariza, 38, of Bronx, N.Y.

• Jeffrey S. Candelo, 27, of Lawrenceville, Ga.

• Dario Jimenez-Lopez, 43, of Miramar, Fla.