A Bartonsville man and his father are facing felony charges in an alleged vehicle theft and title-washing scheme involving more than $600,000 in losses in Monroe County, authorities said.
Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso announced the charges Monday, Nov. 9, against Jermaine Quinones Sr., 42, of Allentown, and Jermaine Quinones Jr., 18, of Bartonsville, according to a statement from the district attorney's office.
The two are accused of using fraudulent vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and counterfeit paperwork to disguise stolen vehicles before selling them to unsuspecting buyers. Many of the vehicles were advertised on Facebook Marketplace, investigators said.
The investigation began after several victims reported vehicle thefts to Monroe County police. It later expanded into a joint effort involving the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office Insurance Fraud Section, Pennsylvania State Police and the Monroe County District Attorney's Criminal Investigation Division.
According to the Monroe County District Attorney's announcement, investigators identified 12 vehicles sold with fraudulent paperwork between 2025 and 2026. Estimated losses associated with those vehicles exceeded $600,000.
The vehicles included a 2027 Infiniti QX60 valued at $67,599, an Acura Integra valued at $35,950 and two Ford Mustangs valued at $32,640 and $31,890, according to the district attorney's office.
Both men face felony charges including corrupt organizations, theft by deception, washing vehicle titles and insurance fraud.
Arrests and charges
Quinones Sr. was arrested at his Allentown home and arraigned, with bail set at $450,000 cash. Investigators seized a semiautomatic rifle during the arrest. Authorities said he is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous felony conviction.
Quinones Jr. was also arrested and arraigned. His bail was set at $100,000.
The arrests and charges were also reported by FOX56 and 28/22 News.
The case follows an earlier announcement from Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday on Oct. 26, when his office announced charges against the same father and son in a Lehigh Valley-based vehicle theft and illegal titling investigation.
In that announcement, the Attorney General's Office said investigators identified 12 vehicles with fraudulent paperwork, valued at nearly $500,000. The office described the operation as a Lehigh County-based chop shop scheme. The announcement also detailed the arrests, bail amounts and firearm seizure.
The Attorney General's Office announcement identified the same agencies involved in the investigation. The Monroe County DA's Nov. 9 announcement provides the additional Monroe County investigation details and a higher estimated loss figure.
Investigation remains active
Mancuso credited Detective Emmanuel "Manny" Varkanis, a Monroe County detective assigned to the Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force, for his work on the investigation.
"This investigation reflects the importance of persistent police work and cooperation across agency lines," Mancuso said in the district attorney's announcement.
Mancuso also credited Varkanis with investigating other vehicle theft cases in 2026 that resulted in approximately $800,000 in recovered vehicles.
Since the arrests, additional victims have contacted investigators, reporting thousands of dollars in losses allegedly connected to the defendants.
The investigation remains active, and authorities anticipate additional arrests as they work to identify potential victims and examine the alleged operation.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph Sembrot and Deputy Attorney General Jose Perez of the Attorney General's Office Insurance Fraud Section.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
