HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the takedown of a Lehigh County-based “chop shop” scheme, with charges against a father and son who engaged in illegal titling and sales of stolen vehicles with counterfeit documents.
Jermaine Quinones Sr., 42, and Jermaine Quinones Jr., 18, are each charged with numerous felonies, including corrupt organizations, theft by deception, washing vehicle titles, and insurance fraud.
The older Quinones was arrested earlier this month at his Allentown home. He was arraigned on the charges and bail was set at $450,000 cash.
Jermaine Quinones Jr. was arrested Thursday. At arraignment, bail was set at $100,000.
According to a collaborative investigation between the Office of Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monroe County Detectives, the father and son ran a chop shop throughout 2026, “washing” titles of vehicles that were known to be stolen with VINs and other information not belonging to the stolen vehicles.
Many of the vehicles were sold on Facebook Marketplace.
“This criminal conduct is harmful in many ways, as it defrauds the Commonwealth’s vehicle titling system and insurance providers, and unsuspecting buyers who are left with ‘dirty’ vehicles,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The vehicle titling and registration system exists to protect consumers and insurance providers, and ensure vehicles on Commonwealth roadways are safe.”
Many of the vehicles were new and of high value, including 2026 model Infiniti QX60 ($67,599 value), Acura Integra ($35,950), and two Ford Mustangs ($32,640 and $31,890).
Between 2025 and 2026, investigators identified sales of 12 vehicles with washed paperwork, valued at nearly $500,000.
When taking Quinones Sr into custody, investigators seized a semiautomatic rifle. He is not permitted to possess firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph Sembrot and Deputy Attorney General Jose Perez of the Insurance Fraud Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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