2 Charlotte men charged for allegedly buying, selling stolen high-end cars

CHARLOTTE — Two Charlotte men are facing federal charges for their roles in a scheme to buy and sell stolen cars that were worth millions of dollars.

According to a recently unsealed indictment, 41-year-old Andre Lamar Sumner and 39-year-old Erren Woodson are also facing gun charges that are tied to drug trafficking.

Federal prosecutors said from 2022 until this year, the pair allegedly worked with others to buy and sell high-end cars that were stolen from dealerships, rental car companies, and private entities across the country. The states include North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Missouri.

The indictment accused Sumner of being the “fence,” meaning the person who helped contact buyers for the stolen cars. Prosecutors said he allegedly tried to fence luxury cars, including ones made by BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce, as well as trucks and other expensive models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and RAM.

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Sumner is accused of selling the stolen cars to buyers at prices much lower than market values, investigators said. He and others allegedly changed the vehicles’ VINs and illegally registered the cars with several state motor vehicle agencies in order to conceal the crime and maximize the retail values of the cars.

The indictment alleges Woodson bought the stolen cars from Sumner and then looked for potential buyers for them.

Sumner and Woodson are also accused of trafficking drugs and illegally having several kinds of guns.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. Each charge of possession of a stolen vehicle and trafficking in motor vehicles with an altered VIN carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Officials said the indictment is the third filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte that’s related to trafficking in stolen vehicles. Five people were indicted in August 2023 for stealing luxury vehicles from dealerships across the country. A few months later, two more people were indicted in November for organizing high-end car thefts from businesses in South Carolina.

(WATCH BELOW: High-end car theft in Raleigh may have Charlotte connection, officials say)