Defendants: Jankely Hidalgo (DOB: 6/3/89); Jonathan Sevilla (DOB: 5/31/84)
Nov. 26, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced two Bronx men were sentenced Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, for an identity theft/auto theft scheme. Jankely Hidalgo and Jonathan Sevilla, both of the Bronx, will each spend 2-6 years in state prison. In addition to prison time, the court imposed judgment and orders for restitution to their victims related to stolen property and/or the cost to recover the stolen vehicles. The total for Hidalgo is $78,600.26 and Sevilla is $52,507.08.
Hidalgo and Sevilla were involved in a complex identity fraud scheme that allowed them to fraudulently “purchase” and take possession of vehicles, mostly high-end, at car dealerships throughout Westchester by using the personal identifying information and credit of their victims.
They pleaded guilty in October to one count each of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a class D felony, for the theft of a Lexus automobile from “Ray Catena Lexus of Larchmont” in the Town of Mamaroneck. In addition, Sevilla pleaded guilty to a second count of Identity Theft in the First Degree for an attempted theft from “Rivera Toyota” of Mount Kisco Jan. 24, 2018. Both admitted to additional thefts of vehicles at other locations in Westchester for which they were sentenced to pay restitution. Westchester County Court Judge Michael Martinelli accepted their pleas.
Background
Jankely Hidalgo and Jonathan Sevilla took part in a fraudulent scheme to steal vehicles from dealerships in Westchester. Hidalgo supplied Sevilla with forged driver’s licenses and victims’ personal identifying information, such as social security numbers, to present himself as a legitimate buyer who wanted financing for expensive vehicles. Sevilla went into the dealerships to “purchase” these vehicles.
On Oct. 20, 2017, in the Town of Mamaroneck, Hidalgo drove Sevilla to the Ray Catena Lexus of Larchmont car dealership, where he presented himself using a victim’s identity, made a deal to finance a vehicle, and drove the vehicle off the lot without paying for it. Prosecutors say the ring successfully stole five cars from different Westchester County dealerships from October 2017 to February 2018.
This investigation was a collaboration among the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and a number of police departments including the Westchester County Police, Fishkill and New Rochelle police departments.
Assistant District Attorney Stefanie DeNise of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Investigation Division Identity Theft Unit prosecuted the case.
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| Jankely Hidalgo | Jonathan Sevilla |
In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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