3 charged, 75 vehicles seized, in fraud against Texas county

Handcuffs (WDIV)

MIDLAND, Texas – Three people have been arrested and nearly 75 vehicles seized after officials in a west Texas county alleged a man submitted more than $1 million in fraudulent invoices.

Local news outlets report John and Cynthia Warren were arrested near Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday while Justin Warren was arrested in Texas on Tuesday.

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The Midland County sheriff alleges John Warren, who was general manager of government services for Vector Fleet Management, submitted $1 million in fraudulent invoices to the county for maintenance work on county vehicles.

John Warren is also alleged to have made $1.3 million in charges on a Vector credit card to fictitious companies.

Midland County Auditor Veronica Morales said Vector is a victim of the fraud and the company is cooperating.

Warren is charged with theft of more than $300,000 in property and engaging in organized criminal activity. Cynthia and Justin Warren are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Investigators allege they helped John Warren commit theft and shared in profits.

Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said John and Cynthia Warren were arrested at a house in Georgia that they own.

Paulk said Warren was a car collector and that among the roughly 50 vehicles seized in Georgia were a pair of British right-hand-drive Mini Coopers. The cars are now impounded in Georgia.

Another 24 vehicles and pieces of equipment were seized in Odessa, Texas, officials said.

Bail for John Warren was set at $1.5 million and bail for Justin and Cynthia Warren was set at $500,000. Justin Warren remained jailed in Midland on Friday. It’s unclear if any of the three have lawyers to speak for them.

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This story was first published on May 22, 2021. It was updated on May 24, 2021, to make clear that an employee of Vector Fleet Management submitted the invoices and officials consider Vector a victim of the fraud that is cooperating with the investigation.