WARSAW — Four Chicago residents were recently arrested for attempting to fraudulently purchase ATV’s from Kerlin Motorsports in Warsaw.

On June 21, a manager with Kerlin Motorsports spoke with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department about a suspicious purchase. She had received an online purchase and credit application under the name James Griffin. When that credit application was denied, another application was submitted under the name Jala Cooper with a co-signer of the name Gregory Naclero.

On June 8, Griffin and Victor Fenner came to Kerlin Motorsports with the paperwork. The contract had not been signed by Cooper and the men were instructed to return with the paperwork properly signed. Griffin returned the next day with the contract signed by Cooper. He later admitted that he forged the name to purchase the ATV. He was allowed to take the ATV, valued at $16,000.

The lending company advised that the loan application information submitted was false and refused the application. The driver’s license, address and social security number used did not belong to Cooper or Naclero. Kerlin Motorsports was then unable to contact any of the individuals involved.

On June 23, Griffin contacted Kerlin Motorsports because the ATV had been damaged and it needed repaired. Griffin also advised that he had three people wanting to purchase ATVs and trailers from Kerlin Motorsports during the repairs.

On June 30, officers conducted surveillance at Kerlin Motorsports. Three males and a female arrived and began completing the purchase paperwork. Griffin brought the damaged ATV and it was taken into the repair garage. The officer started a conversation with Griffin who admitted that an individual gave him information on how to purchase an ATV from Kerlin Motorsports. He admitted to using a fake information because of poor credit ratings.

The officer obtained the credit application of Victor Feener (Shawn Smith), Rasean Fenner and Jla Cooper. Fenner had completed the paperwork under the name of Shawn Smith to purchase an ATV for $10,199. He had used a false name and identifying information in an attempt to avoid paying for the ATV. The officer spoke with Feener and he admitted to using false information.

Rasean Feener and Cooper had used similar tactics on their applications.

All four were arrested after a recent investigation by detectives and undercover drug task force officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.  KCSD detectives stated that information obtained during this investigation and arrest is on-going, with the possibility of more arrests in the near future.