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Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Vehicle Theft Scheme
A Bristol man has pleaded guilty to participating in a vehicle theft scheme that used stolen identity information from residents of Connecticut and other states.
According to court documents, Ryan Testa, 47, of Bristol, pleaded guilty on [date] to charges stemming from a series of vehicle thefts from dealerships using personal information from identity theft victims.
Testa’s alleged co-conspirator utilized personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles.
Once the loan was approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Testa’s co-conspirator would send a series of runners, including Testa, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fictitious driver’s license that included the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner.
The vehicle was then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Testa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years.
Judge Janet C. Hall scheduled sentencing for May 21, and Testa has been detained since May 16, 2023.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry.
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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