Two CT men charged after allegedly using stolen identities to steal vehicles in multiple states

Two men from Connecticut have been charged with allegedly using stolen identities to steal vehicles, motorcycles and ATV’s in multiple states, federal officials said.

Tyshon Walker, 38, of Naugatuck, and Elvis “Pops” Perez, 58, of Bridgeport, are facing multiple criminal charges in connection to a series of thefts from dealerships that used information from people whose identities had been stolen, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Perez and Walker both appeared in court in New Haven on Thursday and pleaded not guilty. Perez was arrested on Wednesday and Walker turned himself into police Thursday following a nine-count indictment returned by a grand jury in New Haven on July 11, federal officials said.

The indictment alleges that Walker, Perez and others used information stolen from Connecticut residents to apply for loans for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle and other vehicles at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island starting in September 2020, according to federal officials.

Walker allegedly sent “runners” including Perez, Mark Goff and Thomas Owen to pick up the vehicles using fake driver’s licenses after the loans were approved. The fake licenses used stolen names but photos of the runners. The vehicles were then brought back to Connecticut and allegedly sold on Facebook marketplace, federal officials said.

Walker and Perez are both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years, according to federal officials.

Walker is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen vehicles and three counts of wire fraud, for which he faces an additional 20 years in prison for each count, federal officials said.

Perez faces additional charges of aggravated identity theft and interstate transportation of stolen property, according to federal officials.

Goff and Owen, both from Ansonia, are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy and identity theft charges, federal officials said.