NEW JERSEY — Three men have been charged in connection with an alleged auto theft trafficking ring responsible for stealing and redistributing commercial and passenger vehicles across New Jersey, authorities announced Wednesday.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice said the investigation led to the arrests of Yosiel Ruiz-Linares, 33, of Elizabeth; Yadier Evora-Martinez, 31, of Orlando, Florida; and Angel M. Amendanosiguencia, 42, of Trenton.
Ruiz-Linares is accused of leading the operation and faces multiple charges, including leading an auto theft trafficking network, conspiracy, trafficking in stolen property, receiving stolen property and stolen motor vehicles, VIN tampering, forgery and motor vehicle title offenses. Authorities said the charges are second-, third- and fourth-degree offenses.
Evora-Martinez is charged with conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and transportation and moving of stolen motor vehicles. Amendanosiguencia is charged with receiving stolen motor vehicles.
“Vehicles are among the most expensive purchases people and businesses make,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Auto theft drives up prices for consumers, businesses, and insurance companies and disrupts the lives of ordinary New Jersey residents. Our office will continue to use our resources to take down theft rings like this one to protect New Jerseyans and their investments.”
Authorities allege Ruiz-Linares operated and directed a vehicle theft enterprise responsible for the theft, storage, transportation, re-identification and redistribution of stolen commercial and passenger vehicles.
Investigators said Ruiz-Linares coordinated the movement and storage of stolen vehicles between commercial lots, storage locations and residences connected to the enterprise. The investigation documented meetings, joint travel and vehicle transfers involving Ruiz-Linares and his alleged co-conspirators, including Evora-Martinez.
“The defendants charged in this case are alleged to have set up a sophisticated operation to get their hands on stolen commercial vehicles and disguise the true identity – and thus the ownership – of the vehicles,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “Excellent investigative work by our division and by the New Jersey State Police has put these alleged offenders out of business.”
On May 8, 2026, New Jersey State Police executed a court-authorized search warrant at a Trenton property where Ruiz-Linares allegedly occupied a basement residence.
Troopers recovered more than a dozen credit card skimming devices, about $10,000 in suspected criminal proceeds, 98 blank credit cards, four credit cards issued to unrelated individuals, fraudulent New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission titles, VIN programming and re-identification equipment, burglar’s tools and motor vehicle master keys, authorities said.
Investigators also identified several stolen vehicles allegedly linked to Ruiz-Linares, including a 2024 Freightliner, a 2025 International Wrecker, a 2025 International Box Truck and a 2025 Western Star Roll-Off truck. Authorities said the vehicles were confirmed stolen through law enforcement databases.
The investigation uncovered evidence of VIN tampering, cloned identifiers, altered registrations and fraudulent title documents allegedly used to conceal the identities of stolen vehicles.
“Vehicle theft isn’t just a property crime — it’s a direct disruption to people’s lives,” said Jeanne Hengemuhle, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “When a car or commercial vehicle is stolen, victims lose far more than transportation. They lose time, income, and stability. Families are forced to rearrange their daily routines, businesses face costly delays, and hardworking people are left struggling with unexpected financial burdens. The arrests of these individuals mark an important step toward protecting consumers and ending the chaos caused by these thefts.”
Under New Jersey law, second-degree crimes carry penalties of five to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000. Third-degree crimes are punishable by three to five years in prison and fines of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree offenses carry penalties of up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
