A mechanic for the City of Miami and his son were detained for allegedly running a chop shop after roughly $500,000 in stolen cars were discovered on their properties, authorities said.
Jose Osvaldo Mena Crespo, 55, and his son Jose Yamil Mena Gonzalez, 26, were arrested Wednesday on charges of grand theft of a vehicle, organized scheme to defraud, operating a chop shop, obtaining the title of a stolen vehicle, dealing in stolen property, and odometer altering or tampering, according to records.
According to arrest reports, the investigation into Mena Crespo, a heavy-duty mechanic employed by the City of Miami General Services Administration, and his son began in April when a Florida Highway Patrol investigator noticed “inconsistencies” in several vehicles seen on Mena Crespo’s property.
According to accounts, the home contained a Jeep, a Dodge Durango, a Chrysler 300, and a 1955 Buick, as well as numerous parts from other vehicles.
According to the claims, a closer inspection found “major component parts” from other stolen automobiles.
According to reports, the Jeep was found with pieces from a 2018 Jeep Trackhawk worth $80,000 that was stolen from the Hard Rock Casino in September 2024.
According to sources, the Durango had parts from a 2021 Durango Hellcat worth $77,000 that was stolen in May 2024 from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Inside the Chrysler 300 were parts from a Dodge Charger valued at more than $52,000, which was reported stolen in November 2024 from a home on Flagler Drive in Miami Springs.
According to sources, the Buick parts belonged to a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro valued at $73,000 that was reported stolen in March 2024 from Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater.
In addition, authorities discovered a Durango Hellcat on Mena Gonzalez’s property that had been reported stolen on March 30 in Hialeah and sold in January for more than $110,000, according to the papers.
Mena Gonzalez claimed he got the car for $5,000 from a stranger who stopped in front of his house and offered to sell it, according to reports.
He claimed the mystery individual told him he’d obtain the vehicle’s title and return, but he never did, according to reports.
“Mr. Mena Gonzalez did not ask the unknown person for any identification, complete a bill of sale, or otherwise document the transaction or the seller of the vehicle,” according to the allegations.
According to investigators, the vehicle had cables running out through the grill, indicating that the horn was disabled when it was stolen, and the glass in the front passenger window had been punched.
According to sources, a shed in Mena Gonzalez’s garden included the hood, bumpers, and fenders for a silver Dodge Charger; the fenders for a blue Charger; and the bumper, hood, and fenders, as well as siding, for a black Chevrolet Camaro.
The stolen automobiles were valued at more than $466,000, according to the reports.
A closer check revealed that the automobiles had different mileage than when they were acquired.
For example, the Durango had 81,060 miles when it was purchased but now has 3,781 miles, while the Jeep had 190,595 miles when it was purchased but now has 33,007 miles, according to the records.
According to authorities, the Chrysler had 109,475 miles when it was purchased and currently has 20,127 miles.
Authorities investigated Mena Gonzalez’s phone and discovered he was in Hialeah at the time of the Durango theft and near the Hard Rock Casino when the Jeep was stolen, according to reports.
Investigators also determined that a 2018 white Dodge Challenger previously sold by Mena Crespo had pieces from a 2019 Dodge Challenger worth $72,000 that was stolen in November 2023 from The Boulevard, a premium residential building at 5700 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, according to reports.
Mena Crespo purchased the 2018 Challenger with 57,852 miles, which later reduced to 49,500 miles before being confiscated with 33,437 miles, according to sources.
The father and son were both booked into jail and appeared before a judge on Thursday, who granted them release.