In the first quarter of 2015, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Auto-Theft Unit detected a high volume of vehicle thefts and attempted vehicle thefts involving American made SUV’s. Analysis of hundreds of vehicle thefts along with the forensic evidence gathered linked suspects to the theft of many vehicles. The investigation revealed numerous suspects functioning in various capacities to steal vehicles, to retag and resell the stolen vehicles and parts as well as the use of stolen vehicles and salvaged vehicles for insurance fraud involving staged accidents and vehicle theft fraud.

Investigators targeted the lower level thieves and conducted interviews and obtained search warrants that provided evidence against a large number of individuals and an ongoing criminal enterprise. The evidence was presented to the Grand Jury resulting in indictments of 21 individuals which included a judge. 

Since the last quarter of 2014, this enterprise was believed to be responsible for over 1,000 vehicle thefts with an estimated value over $3million. To date, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Auto-Theft Unit with the assistance of the Louisiana State Police and the NICB has recovered over fifty vehicles stolen by this criminal enterprise, including twenty re-tagged vehicles. 

Of the 21 defendants indicted by the Grand Jury, 18 defendants have pled guilty with punishments ranging from ten to twenty years in prison. The remaining 3 defendants are in plea negotiations. At the very top of this criminal enterprise is a former Orleans Parish Judge, who was indicted by a Grand Jury in February of 2017. The judge was additionally linked to multiple insurance fraud investigations based on records obtained thru the NICB.

Detective Chad Dear and Sergeant Gary Barteet, on behalf of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Auto-Theft Unit, receiving the NICB Award of Excellence from Committee Chair Richard Spallinger, NICB’s Rusty Russell and President JD Hough.