7 facing federal charges in Dayton in multi-state car theft ring, chop shop
Mar. 25—Five of seven people indicted in connection to a multi-state chop shop and car theft ring are scheduled to go to trial in federal court in Dayton this summer.
Kahrese Tracey Scott Lee, Courage Wolugboms, Jamarkiss K. Weaver, Quintin Clemons Jr., Deareion Jamar Clay, Andrew J. Placke Jr. and Stephen Dallas Wilhite were charged with conspiracy: to transport stolen vehicles, possess stolen cars, to traffic in stolen vehicles and stolen vehicle parts, to operate a chop shop in U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio.
Clay, Clemons, Weaver and Lee are also facing a knowing possession of a stolen vehicle charge. Wolugboms and Lee were also charged with knowing operation of a chop shop.
On Monday, a trial was set for June 23 for Lee, Weaver, Clay, Placke and Wilhite.
The trial date for Clemons and Wolugboms has not been scheduled.
The group is accused of operating a stolen vehicle ring in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio from around November 2023 through October 2024.
Lee, Wolugboms and occasionally Wilhite operated chop shops and had stolen vehicles delivered to and from those locations, according to a federal indictment.
Lee leased a facility in the 700 block of North Irwin Street in Dayton, and Wilhite used a property in Cullman, Alabama as a chop shop, court documents allege.
Lee and Wolugboms allegedly had multiple people, including Weaver, Clemons and Clay, steal vehicles for them.
"As part of this process, defendant Lee trained defendants Weaver, Clemons and Clay how to use certain electronic devices to start vehicles without a key," the indictment read.
After stealing a vehicle, Weaver, Clemons and Clay would present the vehicles to Lee and Wolugombs for payment.
"If defendant Lee and Wolugboms did not want the vehicle, defendants Weaver, Clemons and Clay either found another buyer for it or joyrode in it until the vehicle crashed or was discovered by law enforcement," according to court documents.
The vehicles would be stripped for parts, illegally altered or have their vehicle identification numbers flipped. The parts or vehicles would then be sold.
Lee and Wolugboms reportedly used Weaver, Clemons, Clay and Placke to transport the stolen vehicles between chop shops and other locations, often crossing state lines.
The group stole vehicles from car dealerships in Milford, Mechanicsburg and Greendale, Indiana.
In July 2024, Clay and Clemons reportedly had five stolen vehicles, dozens of vehicle keys and two electronic devices used to steal vehicles at a house on South Ardmore Avenue in Dayton.
Around Aug. 30, 2024, the group stole a Dodge Viper, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger with a collective value of more than $200,000 in North Vernon, Indiana, according to court records.
They're also accused of stealing a Dodge Challenger from the University of Dayton Marriot in September 2024.
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