TRENTON
- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a Union
County man has been sentenced to state
prison for receiving stolen automobiles
worth more than $170,000, and “re-tagging”
them.
According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Greta Gooden-Brown, Mariusz Mroczka, 25,
Lafayette Street, Linden, Union County,
was sentenced by Union County Superior
Court Judge John S. Triarsi to four years
in state prison and ordered to pay more
than $46,114 in restitution. Mroczka was
sentenced pursuant to his Jan. 19 guilty
plea to a criminal Accusation filed by
the Division of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. The Accusation
charged Mroczka with receiving stolen
property.
In pleading guilty before Judge Triarsi,
Mroczka admitted that between Sept. 26
and Oct. 2, 2003, he took possession of
four cars with a combined value of $170,000
- a 2001 Lexus IS 300, a 2001 Lexus GS
430, a 2003 Lexus SC 430, and a 1997 Volkswagen
Jetta. Mroczka took possession of the
stolen cars both for his personal use
and so that they could be “re-tagged”
and re-sold. Re-tagging a vehicle means
that the Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) is removed from the car and a different
VIN is placed on the car so that it can
be hidden from law enforcement and appear
to be not stolen.
While executing a search warrant on Mrockza’s
property, state investigators from the
Division of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor found the
stolen cars and returned them to the insurance
companies. In addition, investigators
found various parts from other automobiles,
mechanic’s tools, and other evidence
consistent with vehicle re-tagging.
An investigation by the Division of Criminal
Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
determined that, following the thefts,
the owners of the cars submitted automobile
insurance theft claims to several insurance
companies, including New Jersey Manufacturers
Insurance Company, AIG Insurance Company,
Allstate Insurance Company, and the Peerless
Insurance Company.
State Investigators, Jarek Pyrzanowski
and Jeffrey Lorman were in charge of the
investigation. State Investigators, Scott
Stevens, Marc Cofone, Joe Vendas, Ned
Shaw, Tony Petreski and Luis Cruz assisted
in the investigation. Deputy Attorney
General Richard Queen represented the
Division
of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the
sentencing hearing.
“Frequently
insurance fraud investigations lead to
evidence of stolen automobiles and alteration
of automobile VIN’s,” Fraud
Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown said. “This
particular theft was uncovered as part
of an insurance fraud investigation of
stolen vehicles. The Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor will continue to follow
evidence of fraud and theft wherever it
leads.”
Noting that some important cases have
begun with anonymous tips from the public,
Prosecutor Brown emphasized that individuals
can make a difference. “We need
people’s information, not their
identities. People who are concerned about
insurance cheating and have any information
about a fraud can call our toll-free hotline
at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or
visit our Web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org
.”