11 men were indicted for stealing 86 vehicles from 26 dealerships throughout Ohio, amounting to an estimated $5.1 million. Some of the indicted individuals then used those stolen vehicles to commit violent crimes.
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Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a grand jury indicted 11 men, ranging in age from 18 years old to 22 years old, of engaging in a pattern of corrupt behavior as part of a criminal organization that sought to steal from multiple dealerships across northeast Ohio.
“These 11 men operated a criminal organization that targeted multiple dealerships in 11 counties across Northeast Ohio,” O’Malley said. “Their crime spree caused significant damage to the dealerships they hit, the people they affected, and the communities surrounding them.”
From November 2, 2022, to March 17, 2023, the 11 men broke into 26 car dealerships and three apartment complexes in 27 cities in 11 counties. They then stole 86 vehicles with an estimated value of $5.1 million, O’Malley said.
There were 32 incidents in total with some of the dealerships broken into multiple times.
The men then used the stolen vehicles to commit violent crimes.
The first violent crime mentioned was an assault on a peace officer on January 5, 2023.
On February 14, 2023, the young adults used the stolen vehicles in a drive-by shooting. The prosecutor’s office did not release further information regarding whether anyone was injured following the shooting.
Other instances included the men leading law enforcement agents on a high-speed chase through the various counties following a break-in and subsequent robbery.
The following 11 men were named in the indictment and charged for their alleged criminal activity:
- Makilin Wilson, 20
- Rasheed Rountree, 21
- Kyer Allen, 19
- Dahmere Lymon, 19
- Willie Hicks, 22
- Ty’aun Williams, 20
- Theon Avery, 20
- Shaakir Maddox, 21
- Arthur Robinson, 21
- Laejuan Robinson, 18
- Cory Phillips, 18
Makilin Wilson, Rasheed Rountree, Dahmere Lymon, Ty’aun Williams, Shaakir Maddox, Arthur Robinson, and Laejuan Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday.
Cory Phillips, Kyer Allen, and Willie Hicks were scheduled to be arraigned May 24, while Theon Avery was scheduled for May 25.
The prosecutor’s office also released the cities that were affected by the break-ins and the monetary value lost at each dealership:
Cuyahoga: 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 investigation was conducted by 34 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
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