BALTIMORE – Jerry John Mathins and Braysean Owens are at the center of a federal indictment in Maryland, facing charges related to a calculated scheme to defraud used car buyers by manipulating odometer readings. The alleged conspiracy, detailed in court filings, accuses the two men of rolling back odometers on high-mileage vehicles to inflate their resale value, deceiving buyers into overpaying for cars that had seen significantly more wear and tear than advertised.
According to the indictment, the defendants engaged in a pattern of deceptive practices between April 2021 and January 2024. They allegedly purchased vehicles with high mileage at auction, altered the odometers to show lower mileage, and falsified titles to match the altered readings. This allowed Mathins and Owens to resell the vehicles at higher prices, exploiting consumers who believed they were purchasing well-maintained cars with accurate mileage records.
One documented instance of this scheme occurred in December 2022. Owens purchased a 2006 Honda Accord with an odometer reading of approximately 221,754 miles at a wholesale auto auction for $2,500. Less than two weeks later, the indictment claims, Owens and Mathins had altered the car’s Maryland title to falsely reflect a mileage of only 124,229 miles. They then sold the vehicle through B-City Auto & Detailing LLC in Maryland for $3,800, nearly 50% more than the purchase price, presenting the vehicle as having much less mileage than it actually did. This act exemplifies the alleged pattern of fraud that federal prosecutors claim defrauded multiple buyers.
Mathins and Owens face charges of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, including securities fraud and making counterfeit documents under federal statutes. If convicted, they could face severe penalties, including prison time and forfeiture of any assets derived from these fraudulent activities.
This case underscores broader issues in the used car market, where odometer fraud remains a persistent risk for consumers. By allegedly resetting odometers and altering vehicle titles, Mathins and Owens took advantage of these vulnerabilities, using deceptive practices to extract higher payments from unsuspecting buyers. Federal authorities have highlighted the importance of consumer awareness and due diligence when purchasing used vehicles, especially as cases like this reveal how easily mileage figures can be falsified.
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