Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Odometer Tampering Scheme

OKLAHOMA CITY – In a stark admission of guilt, MICHAEL MARKS, 31, of Wichita, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit odometer tampering, according to U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Marks was charged on February 10, 2023, with altering the odometers of 15 used vehicles over a span of five years, from August 2017 to July 2022. The scheme involved purchasing cars and manipulating their odometer readings to falsely reflect lower mileages before reselling them to unsuspecting buyers.

Under federal law, conspiring to knowingly and willfully disconnect, reset, and alter an odometer of a motor vehicle for the purpose of changing the registered mileage is strictly prohibited. Marks faces up to three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 upon sentencing, scheduled to take place in approximately 90 days.

In addition to potential imprisonment and fines, Marks has agreed to pay restitution to the victims who bought the vehicles with falsified mileage readings. The investigation leading to this conviction was conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck handling the prosecution.

Further details on this case can be found in the Information and other public court filings available for reference.

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