Six men are facing charges in connection with an alleged chop shop in Milford Township, where authorities say stolen vehicles were dismantled before being shipped to the Dominican Republic for sale as part of an operation believed to have shipped nearly half a million dollars in stolen parts.
Aldenis Gonzalez-Caceres, 52, of Milford Township, Bucks County, is accused of running a chop shop that shipped half a million dollars in stolen vehicles and parts over an eight-month period. (Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office)
The Bucks County District Attorney’s office in a news release identified the six charged as Aldenis Gonzalez-Caceres, 52, of Milford Township; Alexander G. Espinal De Jesus, 48, of North Chesterfield, Va.; Rahinier Antonio Paulino, 31, of Bronx, N.Y.; Ricky M. Paulino, 26, of Bronx, N.Y.; Lenny Gomez-Santos, 47, of Allentown; and Luis F. Hernandez Infante, 23, of Yonkers, N.Y.
Police said their investigation began in August 2022, after New York City police used information from an Apple AirTag to track a stolen 2022 Honda CRV to 2150 Rosedale Road, Milford Township, Bucks County.
A search warrant executed at the garage uncovered the stolen Honda CRV and three other CRVs reported stolen from New York and New Jersey, the DA’s office said. Numerous vehicle parts were also allegedly found organized and stacked on the premises, along with a mechanical lift, two forklifts, impact drivers, metal cutting tools and power tools which police say were used in an assembly line setup to disassemble incoming vehicles.
The news release said a second search warrant led to the discovery of eight more stolen vehicles, 15 Honda engines, one Acura engine, 12 airbag components, eight SRS units, four pairs of registration plates, and two doors associated with 19 other vehicles reported stolen between Feb. 18, 2022, and Aug. 6, 2022, from New York and New Jersey.
Police said the group allegedly used a key fob programmer to steal the vehicles.
Surveillance footage from near the garage allegedly recorded the six men working on and driving the stolen vehicles along with U-Haul box trucks carrying trash bags and other items entering and leaving the facility.
Investigators said fraudulent titles were submitted by Gonzalez-Caceres, 52, who police said initially rented the garage to repair salvaged vehicles before selling them to dealerships in the Dominican Republic. Authorities allege that the opperation later evolved into a theft ring that stashed stolen vehicles, dismantled them and then loaded them and the parts onto shipping containers for transport and sale in the Dominican Republic. Over eight months, they said roughly $500,000 worth of stolen vehicles and parts was shipped in 10 containers.
As of Monday, police said five of the six people charged were in custody. Gonzalez-Caceres was arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Christopher E. O’Neill and was released on $150,000 unsecured bail.
According to the district attorney’s office, the six defendants are charged with corrupt organizations, owning, operating or conducting a chop shop, altering or destroying a vehicle identification number, disposition of vehicle or vehicle part with altered VIN, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime, forgery, tampering with public records, dealing in titles and plates of a stolen vehicle and insurance fraud.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty. This story was compiled using information provided by the Hellertown Police Department and from Northampton County court records.