April 25, 2000

Burlington County Automobile Mechanic Indicted for Odometer Fraud

TRENTON – Attorney General John J. Farmer, Jr. today announced that a Medford automobile mechanic was indicted by a State Grand Jury for allegedly rolling back an odometer 100,000 miles and accepting a fee of $150 for his assistance.

The Attorney General said that Patrick Hughes, 37, of Medford, Burlington County, was charged with one count of third-degree conspiracy.

State Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Edward M. Neafsey said odometer fraud occurs when illegal changes are made to the mileage shown on a used vehicle's title and odometer. This is usually done to mask high mileage on late-model used cars. "Odometer fraud is a threat to used-car buyers that can cost thousands of dollars and lead to frustrating breakdowns and repairs," said Neafsey.

Neafsey said the indictment was the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. On August 4, 1999, a State Investigator working in an undercover capacity brought a state owned Honda Accord LX four door sedan to the defendant. The investigator made it clear to the defendant that the purpose for the rollback was to assist her in obtaining a higher resale value on the vehicle. As part of the investigation, the actual mileage of the vehicle was video recorded as being 175,005. When the investigator returned, the odometer read 75,010 miles. Hughes allegedly had rolled back the "1". The additional 5 miles reflected mileage the investigator drove. The odometer rollback increased the value of the vehicle by $2,615 based upon an appraisal by an expert.

If convicted, Hughes faces up to five years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines. As a first time offender, the defendant is eligible to apply for pretrial intervention and will likely receive probation.

Deputy Attorney General Peter W. Lee presented the case to the grand jury. The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda Fienberg in Mercer County. The case will be allocated to Burlington County for trial.

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty.