St. Louis is one of the many cities around the country that has been rocked by car theft. Now, one man, a chop shop operator, is facing prison time for aiding a gang in stealing cars. Additionally, he could owe a massive fine for his crime. This is another example of “crime doesn’t pay,” especially regarding long-term freedom.

Car theft is a major crime, and chop shops play a significant part

According to Fox 2 Now, Jorge Alberto Luviano-Martinez, 41, admitted on May 5th to aiding a gang commit car theft. Specifically, he did so with his chop shop, which was located at the 2900 block of Cass Avenue in St. Louis. For those not in the know, a chop shop is a business where criminals can take stolen cars to be scrapped or altered somehow. 

The group responsible for car theft is known as the Big Five gang. Members of the group admitted on record to receiving electronic keys from the chop shop owner to operate stolen cars. Additionally, they said that his shop facilitated switching VIN numbers on some stolen vehicles. This comes after authorities conducted a search of the business and uncovered eight cars that thieves had taken on June 10, 2024. Notably, one of the cars had the VIN removed, and another had its VIN replaced. 

Before searching the chop shop and obtaining the warrant, the authorities spotted Jorge leaving the garage, driving a stolen Jeep. They tried to conduct a traffic stop, but he evaded before being caught. Now, the chop shop owner has admitted to his role in the car theft and faces up to 15 years in prison for operating the chop shop. He could also have a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for August of this year, so this is a developing story.