CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Three men are facing charges for conspiring to steal luxury vehicles, Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina announced.
Jonathan Marquis Stitt, 36, Francisco Arnoldo Lopez Pena, 41, and Jason Randall Spearman, 43, who all live in Charlotte, are accused of breaking federal law against transporting, owning and selling stolen vehicles, as well as removing Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs).
Stitt is also facing two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, and Spearman is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to the indictment, between 2020 and Oct. 2024, the three and their coconspirators arranged to steal high-end vehicle worth millions from individuals and businesses in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland. This included luxury cars from Acura, Cadillac, Lamborghini, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz as well as expensive trucks from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Freightliner and GMC.
Officials say they would then change the stolen vehicles’ VINs, use fraudulent 30-day tags and repaint the vehicles to try to hide their tracks. They would usually sell the vehicles below market value. They kept some of the vehicles.
Jonathan Stitt faces up to 30 years in prison, Francisco Pena up to 10 years and Jason Spearman up to 25 years.
This is the fifth Charlotte indictment for stolen vehicles since Aug. 2023.
Queen City News
High-End Vehicle Thefts
