Crime & Safety

Two More Baltimore Police Officers Plead Guilty in Towing Scheme

Leonel Rodriguez, 31, of Essex, and Rodney Cintron, 32, of Middle River, pleaded guilty in federal court this week and could face up to 20 years in prison.

Two more Baltimore City police officers have admitted to their role in an illegal towing scheme involving a Rosedale auto shop.

Leonel Rodriguez, 31, of Essex and Rodney Cintron, 32, of Middle River, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to conspiracy to commit and committing extortion, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. They are the 10th and 11th officers to plead guilty to similar charges.

The owners of Majestic Auto Repair paid Rodriguez, Cintron and other Baltimore City police officers to arrange for their company, rather than a city-authorized business, to tow vehicles from accident scenes and make repairs, according to a news release.

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The officers contacted Majestic owners Herman Alexis Moreno and Edwin Javier Mejia for towing and repair services, even though Majestic was not an authorized Baltimore City towing company, according to the officers' plea deal.

In exchange, the owners paid Rodriguez and Cintron up to $300 for each vehicle they referred to Majestic, according to the release. Moreno, 30, of Rosedale, and Mejia, 27, of Middle River, .

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As part of the conspiracy, the officers persuaded accident victims to allow their cars to be sent to Majestic by telling the victims that the business could tow the car, provide repair services, help with the insurance claim, assist in getting a rental car and waive the owner’s deductible, according to the release.

According to his plea deal, Citron admitted that from 2008-2010, Moreno paid him in more than $13,000 for vehicles that he referred to Majestic. These payments were made in cash and check, including some checks made out to Cintron’s wife.

As for Rodriguez, he admitted as part of his plea deal that Moreno paid him $8,450 between 2008 and 2010.

According to a news release, Cintron and Rodriguez also recruited other city officers to participate in the scheme and allowed Moreno and Mejia to create additional damage to other vehicles so that they could increase the insurance claim.

Also as part of the scheme, Cintron falsified police reports claiming there was more damage to vehicles than actually occurred, according to the plea deal.

In addition, Cintron admitted as part of his plea deal that he falsely reported his car was vandalized so that he could have his vehicle repainted by Majestic and paid for through an insurance claim.

Rodriguez also admitted that he gave his car to a mechanic who worked for Moreno to sell to a “chop shop,” and falsely reported the vehicle stolen to his insurance company, according to the news release.

Both officers face a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy, and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,0000 fine. Sentencing is set for Feb. 12, 2012 for Cintron and April 27, 2012 for Rodriguez.

The trial of the remaining police officers accused in the scheme is set for Feb. 13, 2012, according to the release.


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