• Plea agreement: Courage Wolugboms pleaded guilty to one count of knowing operation of a chop shop, according to U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio records.
Who else is involved?
• Multiple suspects: He’s one of seven people indicted in connection to a multi-state car theft ring.
Kahrese Tracey Scott Lee, Jamarkiss K. Weaver, Quintin Clemons Jr., Deareion Jamar Clay, Andrew J. Placke Jr. and Stephen Dallas Wilhite were also charged.
What were they accused of?
• Car theft ring: The group allegedly stole vehicles in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio from November 2023 to October 2024.
Lee and Wolugboms used multiple people to steal vehicles, with Lee training them to use electronic devices to start vehicles without a key, according to the indictment.
Weaver, Clemons and Clay reportedly presented the stolen vehicles to Lee and Wolugboms for payment.
If they didn’t want the vehicle Weaver, Clemons and Clay would find another buyer or joyride until the vehicle crash or was found by authorities, according to federal court documents.
Weaver, Clemons, Clay and Placke also reportedly transported the stolen vehicles between chop shops and other locations, sometimes crossing state lines.
• Chop shops: Lee, Wolugboms and occasionally Wilhite found buildings across the U.S. to use as chop shops, according to court records.
One of the chop shops was in the 700 block of North Irwin Street in Dayton. In May 2024, the chop shop housed more than half a million dollars in stolen cars and vehicle parts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Lee, Wolugboms and Wilhite stripped the stolen vehicles for parts and placed them in other vehicles, the indictment read.
Sometimes they kept the vehicles intact, but altered, replaced or flipped the VIN.
The trio then sold the vehicles or parts, according to court records.
Where do the other cases stand?
• Pleaded guilty: Lee, Weaver, Clay and Placke previously pleaded guilty.
Lee pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and to knowingly operating a chop shop.
Weaver and Clay pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle.
Placke pleaded guilty to an amended charge of knowingly receiving, possessing and transporting a stolen vehicle.
What happens next?
• Sentencing: Wolugboms is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22.
Lee is scheduled to br sentenced on Oct. 29; Weaver’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 13; Placke’s sentencing is set for Nov. 25; and Clay’s sentencing is Jan. 13.
• Trial: Wilhite’s trial is set for Nov. 10.
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