11 men were indicted for stealing 86 vehicles from 26 dealerships throughout Ohio, amounting to an estimated $5.1 million. Some of the indicted individuals then used those stolen vehicles to commit violent crimes.
>> TRENDING: Teen shoots 15-year-old several times in abdomen during robbery at Cincinnati home
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a grand jury indicted 11 men, ranging in age from 18 years old to 22 years old, of engaging in a pattern of corrupt behavior as part of a criminal organization that sought to steal from multiple dealerships across northeast Ohio.
“These 11 men operated a criminal organization that targeted multiple dealerships in 11 counties across Northeast Ohio,” O’Malley said. “Their crime spree caused significant damage to the dealerships they hit, the people they affected, and the communities surrounding them.”
From November 2, 2022, to March 17, 2023, the 11 men broke into 26 car dealerships and three apartment complexes in 27 cities in 11 counties. They then stole 86 vehicles with an estimated value of $5.1 million, O’Malley said.
There were 32 incidents in total with some of the dealerships broken into multiple times.
The men then used the stolen vehicles to commit violent crimes.
The first violent crime mentioned was an assault on a peace officer on January 5, 2023.
On February 14, 2023, the young adults used the stolen vehicles in a drive-by shooting. The prosecutor’s office did not release further information regarding whether anyone was injured following the shooting.
Other instances included the men leading law enforcement agents on a high-speed chase through the various counties following a break-in and subsequent robbery.
The following 11 men were named in the indictment and charged for their alleged criminal activity:
-
Makilin Wilson, 20
-
Rasheed Rountree, 21
-
Kyer Allen, 19
-
Dahmere Lymon, 19
-
Willie Hicks, 22
-
Ty’aun Williams, 20
-
Theon Avery, 20
-
Shaakir Maddox, 21
-
Arthur Robinson, 21
-
Laejuan Robinson, 18
-
Cory Phillips, 18
Makilin Wilson, Rasheed Rountree, Dahmere Lymon, Ty’aun Williams, Shaakir Maddox, Arthur Robinson, and Laejuan Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday.
Cory Phillips, Kyer Allen, and Willie Hicks were scheduled to be arraigned May 24, while Theon Avery was scheduled for May 25.
The prosecutor’s office also released the cities that were affected by the break-ins and the monetary value lost at each dealership:
Cuyahoga: Nine cities – Cleveland, Parma, Mayfield Heights, Strongsville, North Olmsted, Bedford, Solon, Euclid, and Brooklyn
Lorain County: One city – Amherst
Lake County: Three cities – Willoughby, Mentor, and Painesville
Geauga County: One city – Chardon
Medina County: Two cities – Brunswick and Medina
Wayne County: Two cities – Dalton and Wooster
Portage County: One city – Ravenna
Ashland County: One city – Ashland
Stark County: Three cities – North Canton, Canton, and Alliance
Summit County: Three cities – Norton, Akron, and Copley Township
Carroll County: One city – Malvern
The investigation was conducted by 34 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.