A father and son from Allentown are accused of running a “chop shop” that sold stole vehicles with counterfeit documents, according to authorities.
Jermaine Quinones Sr., 42, and Jermaine Quinones Jr., 18, are charged with a number of felonies, including corrupt organizations, owning a chop shop, receiving stolen property, theft, washing vehicle titles and insurance fraud. The elder Quinoines is also charged with prohibited possession of a firearm.
The Attorney General’s Office, along state police and Monroe County Detectives, allege the two ran the operation throughout the past year, and “washed” titles of vehicles that were stolen with VINS and other information not belonging to stolen vehicles.
Many of the vehicles were sold on Facebook Marketplace, the AG’s office said in a news release. They ranged in value from $31,000 to as high as $67,000, the AG’s office said. Authorities said 12 vehicles with washed paperwork have been identified, and the vehicles value was a total of nearly $500,000.
A semiautomatic rifle was seized when police arrested Jermaine Quinones Sr, and he is not allowed to have a gun because of a previous felony conviction, the AG said.
“This criminal conduct is harmful in many ways, as it defrauds the Commonwealth’s vehicle titling system and insurance providers, and unsuspecting buyers who are left with ‘dirty’ vehicles,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said in the release. “The vehicle titling and registration system exists to protect consumers and insurance providers, and ensure vehicles on Commonwealth roadways are safe.”
Jermaine Quniones Sr. is in Lehigh County Jail on $450,000 bail. His son remains free after posting $100,000 bail.