NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Bristol man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in connection with the thefts of vehicles and identity theft.
Ryan Testa, 47, of Bristol, pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a series of vehicle thefts from dealerships using personal information from identity theft victims.
Prosecutors said that beginning around September 2020, Testa’s alleged co-conspirator utilized personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles.
After the loans were approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Testa’s co-conspirator would send a series of runners, including Testa, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fake driver’s license with the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner. The vehicle was then brought back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Testa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21.
Testa has been detained since May 16, 2023.
RELATED: A family used steering wheel lock on their KIA to prevent theft, but thieves found a way around it
Doug Stewart is a Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
