By: Richard L. Smith
Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged auto theft trafficking operation accused of stealing, re-identifying, and redistributing commercial and passenger vehicles throughout New Jersey, authorities announced Thursday.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice identified the alleged ringleader as Yosiel Ruiz-Linares, 33, of Elizabeth, who is charged with leading an auto theft trafficking network, conspiracy, trafficking in stolen property, receiving stolen property, receiving stolen motor vehicles, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tampering, forgery and motor vehicle title offenses.
Also charged are Yadier Evora-Martinez, 31, of Orlando, and Angel M. Amendanosiguencia, 42, of Trenton. Officials said all charges are second-, third-, or fourth-degree offenses.
“Vehicles are among the most expensive purchases people and businesses make,” Attorney General Davenport said in a statement. “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.”
According to investigators, Ruiz-Linares allegedly directed a sophisticated enterprise responsible for the theft, storage, transportation, re-identification, and redistribution of stolen vehicles, including heavy-duty commercial trucks.
Authorities said investigators documented coordinated meetings, travel, and vehicle transfers between Ruiz-Linares and alleged co-conspirators, including Evora-Martinez.
On May 8, 2026, New Jersey State Police executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in Trenton allegedly occupied by Ruiz-Linares.
During the search, troopers recovered more than a dozen credit card skimming devices, approximately $10,000 in suspected criminal proceeds, nearly 100 blank credit cards, fraudulent New Jersey MVC titles, VIN programming and re-identification equipment, burglar’s tools, and motor vehicle master keys.
Investigators also connected the operation to several stolen commercial vehicles, including a 2024 Freightliner, a 2025 International Wrecker, a 2025 International Box Truck, and a 2025 Western Star Roll-Off truck.
Officials said the investigation uncovered evidence of VIN tampering, cloned vehicle identifiers, altered registrations, and fraudulent title documentation allegedly used to conceal the identities of stolen vehicles.