Dealers Take Down Payments, Fail to Deliver Cars

 

Two former used-car dealers in Hartford, Conn., were arrested and accused of stealing a total of 250,000 from 72 customers.

Rafael Ortiz Sr., 42, and his son, Rafael Ortiz Jr., 21, were arrested on Oct. 25 by the Hartford Police Dept. on larceny and racketeering charges following an investigation into several incidences at City Motors between Dec. 2010 and March 2011.

According to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, employees at City Motors had been accepting down payments from customers without ever delivering a vehicle, and also selling the same vehicle to multiple customers

The Hartford DMV revoked City Motors' license in March for failing to meet state legal requirements.

They began an investigation into City Motors, in cooperation with Hartford police, in April after several complaints that the lot had been emptied with several customers expecting cars they had purchased.

According to police, many customers paid Ortiz and his son in cash or by check, but were repeatedly told the car was not ready.

Some customers had brought cars in for repairs, and never got them back.
The dealership promised disgruntled customers a refund in the first week of April, but the lot was cleared out by then.

After warrants were issued for Ortiz and his son, they fled to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Members of the Hartford Police Major Crimes Division and Hartford Police Intelligence Division brought both suspects back to Connecticut.

"They left no stone unturned in seeking out these fraudulent perpetrators and ensuring their extradition back to Connecticut for prosecution," said Daryl K. Roberts Hartford's police chief of the successful hunt for Ortiz and his son. "A job well done by all."

Upon their return to Connecticut, both men were charged and later arraigned Superior Court in Hartford. Bail has been set at 350,000 for Ortiz, and 200,000 for his son.

Pedro Segarra, Hartford's mayor, offered comments to ensure the victims that this matter would be resolved.

"(Ortiz and his son) will now be held accountable for their actions, which, I hope will help bring some sense of closure and justice to their victims, 72 innocent consumers," he said.

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