Sullivan man charged with operating auto chop-shop

[GOYABEAN]

Sullivan man charged with operating auto chop-shop - Mid Hudson News

MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Town of Thompson man following a three-month investigation into the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles in Sullivan County. Deputies arrested Richard Smith, Jr, 51, on May 4 after executing a search warrant at his residence...

midhudsonnews.com

 

[Cavalry]

The way I read that article the cars were not stolen, he was just parting them out without permission from NY. If true, what a jackass thing to get busted for. Cutting up things you own and selling pieces to others. Looking at pics of his place it looks like he was breaking cars up for scrap which doesnt sound nearly as scary as "illegal chop shop" I know plenty of people, myself included that do this same exact thing, not at that scale but still....
I'm guessing a busy body neighbor got sick of looking at his junk and blew him in to DEC and it blossomed from there.

 

[TEOTWAWKI inc.]

It didn't mention what the DEC charges were, so they must be real gems as well.

If the situation is like @Cavalry envisions, I could see this gentleman joining the Marvin Heemeyer fanclub.

 

[Grimscale]

The way I read that article the cars were not stolen, he was just parting them out without permission from NY. If true, what a jackass thing to get busted for. Cutting up things you own and selling pieces to others. Looking at pics of his place it looks like he was breaking cars up for scrap which doesnt sound nearly as scary as "illegal chop shop" I know plenty of people, myself included that do this same exact thing, not at that scale but still....
I'm guessing a busy body neighbor got sick of looking at his junk and blew him in to DEC and it blossomed from there.

If the vehicles were his, why would he need NY's permission to part them out?

 

[TEOTWAWKI inc.]

If the vehicles were his, why would he need NY's permission to part them out?

10% for the big guy?

 

[Cavalry]

If the vehicles were his, why would he need NY's permission to part them out?

They want their licensing money and its a way to regulate that the batteries, tires, fluids etc are not contributing to pollution.

I just looked up the regulation, there is a threshold. 25 vehicles per year and 50 vehicles on site. From the article I guess he had one car too many.

 

[spat]

If the vehicles were his, why would he need NY's permission to part them out?

All salvage yards own all their vehicles.

As to why he needs government permission, because tyrants gotta tyrant.

 

[pshift]

Lots of hazardous materials there (gas, fluids. oil, etc), subject to DEC rules which apply to individuals and shop owners. #savetheenvironment

Never mind what else they found...

During the search of the premises, deputies also discovered 28 long guns that Smith is prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions.

He was charged with 25 counts of illegal vehicle dismantling and 28 counts of criminal purchase of a weapon, both felonies.

 

[FRANKIE]

He must have got to the smelter before they served the warrant for the catalytic converters thefts they been investigating for 3 months.
The 28 guns and all the environmental shit was all bonus.