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LoCastro facing fresh charges

http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/02-05-2010-LoCastro-charged-

2/5/2010 3:33

LoCastro facing fresh charges

By Kathie O. Warco, Staff writer, [e-mail]

A Canonsburg used car dealer, already facing charges in federal and Washington County courts, was accused this week of failing to pay the state money he collected for license plates and other fees on vehicles sold.

Vincent A. LoCastro, 47, of 102 Standing Rock Drive, McMurray, was charged Tuesday by state police with multiple violations including 338 counts of applications for certificate of title and more than 500 counts of violating rules for registering vehicles. He is also charged with theft by failure to make required deposit of funds and tampering with public records. LoCastro owns and operates All Pro Auto Mall, 108 S. Central Ave.

Trooper Kevin Daerr, who filed the charges against LoCastro, said he had received complaints from customers who purchased vehicles from All Pro Auto Mall but did not receive their titles and/or registration from the state within 90 days of purchase.

LoCastro allegedly sold 52 vehicles between Feb. 7 and Nov. 2, collecting $26,597 in taxes and fees from the buyers. Daerr said dealers are required to pass the collected fees within 20 days of the sale of the vehicle, but LoCastro failed to submit them to the Department of Transportation.

LoCastro is also accused of failing to submit a title to Penn-DOT for a vehicle he sold on July 17. Since that temporary registration expired, LoCastro allegedly completed a new form showing an Oct. 15 sales date to give the owner of the vehicle another 90 days on the new temporary registration card. LoCastro allegedly entered a false date for the purchase, listing the sale as Oct. 15 when the true date was July 17.

Last week, Canonsburg police received a complaint from a Pittsburgh woman who reported that she learned that the license plate on the BMW she purchased at All Pro was registered to a Harrisburg couple. The vehicle identification number indicated her car was owned by a Pittsburgh couple. The report will be turned over to Daerr, who said that vehicle owners should receive the necessary registration paperwork from the state before the temporary tag expires 90 days after the date of purchase.

"It is an oddity if you don't get the registration within the 90 days," Daerr said. "It may be as simple as a paperwork error, but you should contact the dealer."

In December, LoCastro was indicted in federal court for allegedly using another person's personal information to obtain financing for nine luxury cars. He was charged with identity theft for allegedly using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of "a person known to the grand jury" to acquire loans that resulted in four banks losing more than $330,000.

According to federal prosecutors, LoCastro obtained the loans while doing business as owner of All Pro Auto Mall.

LoCastro is awaiting a March hearing before county Judge Janet Moschetta Bell on hundreds of charges filed by state police claiming fraudulent business practices at the dealership in 2007 and 2008.

Early in 2008, LoCastro agreed to comply with a state consumer protection law regarding some cars that were improperly sold through the dealership. State Attorney General Tom Corbett had filed claims that LoCastro violated fair trade practices, consumer protection laws and Pennsylvania auto regulations.

The filing said his company misrepresented the condition of advertised vehicles and collected deposits for online auctions but failed to return them when purchasers did not complete a transaction.

LoCastro signed a voluntary compliance agreement and paid $11,607 in civil penalties, the cost of investigation and filing fees and has returned deposits or security collected from consumers who canceled or breached sales contracts.

The most recent charges were filed at the office of District Judge David Mark. A preliminary hearing is set for March 10 before Mark.

Daerr said the investigation is continuing. Anyone with similar complaints should contact him at 724-223-5200.


http://www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/03-03-2010-locastro-charged-again

3/3/2010

Charges on used car dealer mount

By Kathie O. Warco Observer-Reporter [e-mail]

The owner of a Canonsburg used car dealership, already facing charges for allegedly failing to pay the state money for fees he collected on vehicles he sold, now faces theft charges.

Vincent A. LoCastro, 47, of 102 Standing Rock Drive, McMurray, was charged Feb. 19 by state police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Western Task Force with deceptive or fraudulent business practices, theft by deception, bad checks and theft. The charges were filed at the office of District Judge David Mark.

LoCastro is accused of failing to give full payment of $20,000 for the 2005 Lexus that Kenneth Homerosky of North Franklin Township was selling.

According to court documents filed with Mark, Homerosky talked with All Pro employee DJ Logue about selling the Lexus on Sept. 28. They reportedly agreed that All Pro Auto would sell the car and give Homerosky $20,000 by Oct. 1.

When Homerosky went to the dealership to get his money, he was reportedly told they needed more time to sell the vehicle. On Oct. 6, Homerosky received a check for $19,500. When he tried to cash the check, it was returned for insufficient funds. Logue talked to LoCastro about the check. LoCastro reportedly said the check was OK; however, when Homerosky attempted to cash it, the check was again returned for insufficient funds.

Logue told police that LoCastro did not want to buy the vehicle but agreed to put it on the lot. If it did not sell, the dealership would take it to an auction. LoCastro took the luxury car to the auction. Records from American Auto Auction show the car sold for $21,100. After fees, a check for $20,900 was made out to Auction Credit Enterprises and applied toward All Pro Auto's debt with the auction. Earlier this month, Auction Credit Enterprises of Irving, Texas, filed a suit in federal court against LoCastro, his wife, Kim, and LoCastro & Associates, seeking foreclosure of the dealership, claiming LoCastro is in default of a $500,000 loan obtained in December.

Homerosky eventually received $4,000 for the vehicle but attempts to recover the remaining $16,000 have been unsuccessful.

Earlier this month, Locastro was charged by state police at the Washington barracks with multiple violations including 338 counts of applications for certificate of title and more than 500 counts of violating rules for registering vehicles. He is also charged with theft by failure to make required deposit of funds and tampering with public records.

LoCastro also faces charges filed last year in federal and Washington County courts.

In December, LoCastro was indicted in federal court for allegedly using another person's personal information to obtain financing for nine luxury cars.

A preliminary hearing for both sets of charges filed against LoCastro is set for March 18 before Mark.