Vehicle dealership owner charged with multiple counts of fraud
Published 7:22 am Monday, May 6, 2019
By LANCE MARTIN
rrspin.com
ROANOKE RAPIDS – A Roanoke Rapids car dealership owner faces multiple fraud counts following an investigation by the state Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau.
Rodney Vester had his court date continued on May 1 until July 3.
According to warrants filed in the Halifax County Clerk of Court Office, he was arrested on March 29 following an investigation by DMV Agent C.J. Taylor.
Select Auto Sales, of which Vester, 46, of Battleboro, was the owner is closed for business. The business is located on Becker Drive.
All totaled, there are18 arrest warrants.
The first, which charges Vester with obtain property by false pretense, embezzlement of state property and failure to deliver title, reflects a time period of January 19 through March 20.
It charges Vester “willfully and feloniously did knowingly … with the intent to cheat and defraud obtain $22,689 from (the victim) by means of a false pretense which was calculated to deceive and did deceive.”
The false pretense, according to the warrant, reflects he sold a 2008 Ford F 250 “with no intention of satisfying the floor plan company to obtain the title.”
The second part of the warrant charges he misapplied and converted to his own use $284.97 of tax, tag and title belonging to the state while holding the position of salesman-owner.
The third part of the warrant charges he failed to within 20 days deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder as required by law.
The second warrant also charges Vester with the same counts as the first and reflects a period of February 22 through March 20.
The false pretense in this warrant charges he obtained $25,215. 50 from the victim by selling a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title.
The second part of the warrant charges he converted $942.47 of tax, tag and title to his own use.
The third part of the warrant applies to failing within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The third warrant contains the same charges as in the first two and covers a period of January 29 through March 20.
The false pretense in this warrant charges he obtained $64,336.40 from the victim by selling a 2017 Ford F 350 with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. The warrant also charges he converted to his own use $1,955.10 of tax, tag and title. The third part of the warrant applies to failing within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #4 contains the same charges as the first three and covers a period from January 31 to March 20.
The false pretense in this warrant charges he obtained $9,817.48 from the victim by selling a 2012 Kia Sorento with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $382.50 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The fifth warrant contains the same charges as the first four and covers a period of February 25 through March 20.
The false pretense in this warrant charges he obtained $11,473.84 from the victim by selling a 2013 Kia Optima with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted $576.16 to his own use of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #6 contains the same charges as the first five and covers a period of February 19 through March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $13,495.15 from the victim by selling a 2011 GMC Acadia with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $504.85 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The seventh warrant contains the same charges as the first six and covers a period from February 14 to March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $9,421.60 from the victim by selling a 2008 GMC Acadia with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $382.65 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #8 has the same charges as the first seven and covers a period from February 2 to March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $12,044.66 from the victim by selling a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $425.34 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #9 contains the same charges as the first eight and covers a period from February 5 to March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $10,475.73 from the victim by selling a 2014 Nissan Altima with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $414.27 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The 10th warrant lodges the same charges as the first nine and covers a period from January 10 to March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $15,000 from the victim by selling a 2011 Ford F 150 with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $505 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #11 contains the same charges as the first 10 and covers a period from January 30 to March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $8,749 from the victim by selling a 2012 Dodge Journey with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $350.47 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The 12th warrant contains the same charges as the first 11 and covers a period from August 29, 2108 to March 20. The false pretense count charges he obtained $21,861 from the victim by selling a 2003 Bentley Arnage with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $743.83 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The 13th warrant covers a period of February 4 through March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $15,091 from the victim by selling a 2013 Honda Accord with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $513.73 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrant #14 contains the same charges as the first 13 and covers a period from January 29 through March 20.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $10,804.97 from the victim by selling a 2013 Chrysler 300 with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $412.14 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The 15th warrant has the same charges as the first 14 and covers a period of December 27, 2018 through March 21.
The false pretense count charges he obtained $20,198 from the victim by selling a 2015 GMC Terrain with no intention of satisfying a lien to obtain a transferable title. It charges he converted to his own use $826.66 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
Warrants #16 and #17 charges Vester with embezzlement of state property and failure to deliver title. Respectively, these warrants charge that Vester converted to his own use $347.02 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder; and converted to his own use $437.26 of tax, tag and title and failed within 20 days to deliver a certificate of title to the lien holder.
The final warrant charges Vester with three counts of failure to deliver title and reflects three different vehicles in which a title was not delivered within 20 days to lien holders.
Vester is being represented by attorney Sam Barnes.
(Lance Martin is the Editor and Publisher of www.rrspin.com. Permission was received to publish this story.)
