June 20, 2008

A man who's believed to be one of the last members of a major auto theft ring recently busted by ICE agents and Corpus Christi Police appeared before a federal judge today...

43 year old Raymond Garcia learned he'll spend the next 56 months behind bars. He's one of at least six who've already been sentenced...

Last summer, high end vehicles started to vanish from dealership lots, reported stolen from well known businesses like Marion Luna Brem's, Love Chrysler.

In Corpus Christi's federal court on Friday. Raymond Garcia, a man who's been convicted 8 prior times for vehicle theft, learned he'll spend nearly 5 years in federal prison. His lawyer citing security reasons requested Raymond spend his time in Bastrop, since he's had run ins with other inmates at the federal facility in Three Rivers.

His brother Jaime...was also sentenced to prison time earlier this year. Both men, along with many other co-conspirators have either plead out or they're still awaiting sentencing. Agents say it was a family affair, even arresting a mother and two son auto theft team. The group preyed on businesses like Love Chrysler, stealing high end vehicles driving them to drop off points in the Valley and then on to Mexico. Marion Luna Brem says the crime had in many ways a rippling effect on her business. She spoke to us by phone from her Alice Dealership.

"I guess you could say I am a victim, but truly there were not enough seats in the courtroom today for all of the victims of this crime," she told 3 news. "When a business is attacked like mine was the injuries are immeasurable and permanent, so its hard to say there will ever be complete closure."

She told us what she told Judge John Rainey at other sentencing hearings. She says she read from a prepared statement at each sentencing, and told us it's been a long road. "I am not a corporation. I am a matriarch of a family business, and I have sons, nephews, daughter-in-laws and long loyal friends working with me to provide livelihoods for all our families."

Federal Judge Rainey has so far ordered every defendant to pay restitution, nearly 2-hundred thousand dollars. When they do get out of prison, they'll have 30 days and then they'll have to start paying through the federal probation department, $100 a month.