CLEVELAND — Eleven men have been indicted for operating a criminal organization that broke into 26 car dealerships in 27 cities in 11 Northeast Ohio counties between November 2022 and March, resulting in the thefts of at least 86 vehicles with a total estimated value of $5.1 million, Cuyahoga County prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Most of the vehicles stolen were luxury and high-end cars, including 14 Dodge Challengers, 14 Mercedes-Benz cars, 12 BMWs, 10 Jeep Cherokees and seven Dodge Durangos, according to information presented by prosecutors at a news conference Wednesday.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said they believe a total of 126 vehicles were stolen, with charges connected to 86 vehicles. They believe all but 26 of the 126 vehicles have been recovered.
The 11 men indicted for the crimes range in age from 18 to 22 and are all from the Cleveland area, officials said. O’Malley said it is reasonable to believe they were not the only people involved in the thefts.
Nine of the 11 indicted are currently in custody, O’Malley said.
“These 11 men operated a criminal organization that targeted multiple dealerships in 11 counties across Northeast Ohio,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “Their crime spree caused significant damage to the dealerships they hit, the people they affected, and the communities surrounding them. I would like to personally thank the great efforts of the 34 law enforcement agencies that took this group out of commission. They will be held responsible.”
The dealerships were “cased” by the individuals before the break-ins, said Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Hanna. In one case, the men involved approached a dealership salesman and gave their real names.
Prosecutors noted that several of the stolen vehicles were used in the commission of violent crimes, including a Jan. 5 assault on a police officer and a Feb. 14 drive-by shooting. In some instances, police officers responded to the scene, resulting in the defendants fleeing the scene and leading law enforcement on high-speed pursuits.
Prosecutors provided a county-by-county breakdown of the dealership theft incidents:
Cuyahoga County:
Nine cities – Cleveland, Parma, Mayfield Heights, Strongsville, North Olmsted, Bedford, Solon, Euclid, and Brooklyn
• Seven dealerships – 32 cars
Total estimated value stolen: $1.56 million
• Three residences – Two cars
Lorain County:
One city – Amherst
• One dealership – Two cars
Total estimated value stolen: over $71,980
Lake County:
Three cities – Willoughby, Mentor, and Painesville
• Three dealerships – Seven cars
Total estimated value stolen: $340,164
Geauga County:
One city – Chardon
• One dealership – Three cars
Total estimated value stolen: $218,710
Medina County:
Two cities – Brunswick and Medina
• Two dealerships – Five cars
Total estimated value stolen: $423,475
Wayne County:
Two cities – Dalton and Wooster
• Two dealerships – Three cars
Total estimated value stolen: $140,700
Portage County:
One city – Ravenna
• One dealership – One car
Total estimated value stolen: $54,515
Ashland County:
One city – Ashland
• One dealership – One car
Total estimated value stolen: $75,000
Stark County:
Three cities – North Canton, Canton, and Alliance
• Three dealerships – Five cars
Total estimated value stolen: $283,533
Summit County:
Three cities – Norton, Akron, and Copley Township
• Four dealerships – 24 cars
Total estimated value stolen: $1.2 million
Carroll County:
One city – Malvern
• One dealership – One car
Total estimated value stolen: $92,997
The names and charges of the 11 indicted individuals are, according to prosecutors:
Makilin Wilson, 20, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• 19 counts of Breaking And Entering
• 58 counts of Grand Theft
• Two counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• Four counts of Attempted Breaking And Entering
• One count of Attempted Grand Theft
• Two counts of Failure To Comply
• One count of Obstructing Official Business
Rasheed Rountree, 21, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Breaking And Entering
• 38 counts of Grand Theft
• One count of Receiving Stolen Property
• One count of Attempted Breaking And Entering
• Three counts of Felonious Assault
Kyer Allen, 19, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Breaking And Entering
• 19 counts of Grand Theft
• Two counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• One count of Felonious Assault
• One count of Obstructing Official Business
Dahmere Lymon, 19, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• Nine counts of Breaking And Entering
• 25 counts of Grand Theft
• One count of Receiving Stolen Property
• One count of Attempted Breaking And Entering
• One count of Obstructing Official Business
Willie Hicks, 22, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Breaking And Entering
• Four counts of Grand Theft
• Two counts of Receiving Stolen Property
Ty’aun Williams, 20, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Breaking And Entering
• Four counts of Grand Theft
• Two counts of Robbery
• One count of Aggravated Robbery
Theon Avery, 20, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Breaking And Entering
• Two counts of Grand Theft
Shaakir Maddox, 21, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• Four counts of Receiving Stolen Property
Arthur Robinson, 21, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Breaking And Entering
• One count of Grand Theft
• One count of Receiving Stolen Property
Laejuan Robinson, 18, was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Breaking And Entering
• Three counts of Grand Theft
• One count of Attempted Breaking And Entering
• One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
Cory Phillips, 18 was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Aggravated Theft
• One count of Conspiracy
• Two counts of Breaking And Entering
• Nine counts of Grand Theft
• One count of Attempted Breaking And Entering
• One count of Aggravated Robbery
• Two counts of Robbery
Prosecutors said the investigation was conducted by 34 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including:
• The Cleveland Division of Police
• The Euclid Police Department
• The Parma Police Department
• The Strongsville Police Department
• The North Olmsted Police Department
• The Bedford Police Department
• The Solon Police Department
• The Brooklyn Police Department
• The Middleburg Heights Police Department
• The Norton Police Department
• The Akron Police Department
• The Copley Police Department
• The Canton Police Department
• The Alliance Police Department
• The Ashland Police Department
• The Chardon Police Department
• The Dalton Police Department
• The Wooster Police Department
• The Malvern Police Department
• The Amherst Police Department
• The Willoughby Police Department
• The Mentor Police Department
• The Painesville Police Department
• The Medina Township Police Department
• The Brunswick Division of Police
• The Ravenna Police Department
• The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office
• The Medina County Sheriff’s Office
• The Lake County Sheriff’s Office
• The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
• The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office
• Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• U.S. Marshals
With cooperation from the prosecutor’s offices from the other involved counties, Cuyahoga County has elected to proceed and handle the cases for all of the other 10 jurisdictions, O’Malley said.
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