Police’s vehicle fraud investigation unit has recently informed that Albert Walta was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts for selling vehicles he did not own, as well as for not paying taxes to the state Department of Transportation. Walta, 45, is the owner of a Scranton Motorcar Co., a used car dealership located at 626 W. Lackawanna Ave.
In early July the fraudulent practices of Walta came to an end when one of his customers, Joe Schappert, informed police that he bought a Chevrolet truck on consignment from the Scranton dealership. Walta gave him a check, which was later bounced, according to a criminal complaint filed in Lackawanna County Court. Later another customer of the dealership, Jonathan Pedrick, informed the police that Walta owned him over $16,000 for a 2004 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck, which he traded in.
Walta claimed to the police that he was $70,000 “in the hole” on vehicles he sold, but has not paid off and was in the process of getting a $180,000 loan. He made sure he was going to repay Schappert and other customers who bought vehicles from his dealership.
Weeks of investigation showed that Walta failed state sales taxes on several vehicles he sold. On Thursday the Scranton dealership was closed. According to police the number of victims who bought vehicles from Walta is as many as 20 people.
The preliminary hearing of the case is scheduled in Lackawanna County Court on Wednesday; however the efforts to reach Walta are yet unsuccessful.
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