Final Two Defendants Sentenced in Interstate Auto Theft Conspiracy

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ian Torres, age 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Jose Otero Nieves, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, were sentenced on September 29, 2026, to 54 months’ imprisonment and 96 months’ imprisonment, respectively, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Torres, Otero, and eight additional co-conspirators conspired with each other and others to transport stolen motor vehicles interstate and to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen motor vehicles that had been transported interstate.

Torres, Otero, and their co-conspirators took the stolen vehicles—typically high-end, “muscle” type cars—across state lines to “car meetups” and “street takeovers,” at which the co-conspirators would take over a parking lot, intersection, road, or portion of a highway. The vehicles were then shown off in person at the meetups and on social media and driven in a reckless and dangerous manner, such as drifting and “burning out” the vehicles. Otero ran a prominent car meetup group out of Baltimore, Maryland.

The co-conspirators stole numerous vehicles across multiple states. For example, on October 3, 2023, Torres, Otero, and other co-conspirators traveled to a car dealership in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, to steal two 2017 Cadillac CTS-V’s, a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V, two 2019 Cadillac CTS-V’s, a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro, a 2019 Chevrolet Camaro, and a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette.

The defendants in this conspiracy have each been sentenced by Chief Judge Brann as follows:

• Jose Otero Nieves, of Baltimore County, Maryland—96 months’ imprisonment. 
• Rafael Otero Nieves, of Baltimore County, Maryland—84 months’ imprisonment.
• Nigel Criss, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—54 months’ imprisonment.
• Ian Quintana Torres, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—54 months’ imprisonment.
• Jesus Terrero, of Baltimore County, Maryland—36 months’ imprisonment.
• Tyler Hoagland, of Howard County, Maryland—18 months’ imprisonment. 
• Shamar Morris, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—12 months’ imprisonment.
• Raymond Steward, of Camden County, New Jersey—6 months’ imprisonment.
• Robert Jones, of Prince George’s County, Maryland—6 months’ imprisonment.
• Jumaane Wright, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania—deceased.

In imposing the sentences, Chief Judge Brann noted the sheer volume of vehicles stolen by Torres and Otero—more than two dozen each—and the leadership roles each defendant played in the wide-ranging, multi-state conspiracy. For Otero, Chief Judge Brann also noted his significant criminal history, which includes a second-degree murder conviction. 

The FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and Pennsylvania State Police, Central and Eastern Auto Theft Task Forces, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.

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