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CLARKSBURG -- Two Florida men were indicted Tuesday after allegedly stealing campers worth more than $145,000 from an Elkins business and being stopped on the West Virginia Turnpike.
Taylon Batista Garcia, 35, and Yankier Gaston Garcia, 32, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit offense against the United States and one count of attempted transportation of stolen property in interstate commerce.
Both men are accused of driving heavy-duty pickup trucks into Elkins and stealing a 2020 Jayco North Point Camper and a 2021 Grand Design Reflection camper from Roy's RV Supercenter in July 2020. The Garcias are then accused of attempting to transport the stolen campers across state lines. The campers were valued at $145,260.
The theft at Roy's RV involved four campers being hauled by four different trucks. The other two stolen campers, both 2020 Keystone Passport models, were later recovered that day just off Interstate 77 in Odd, West Virginia. The identities of the drivers of the other two trucks are still being investigated.
According to the criminal complaint, the two men were pulled over at about 5 a.m. July 24 after four trucks hauling campers passed through both the US19 toll booth and the I77 Ghent toll booth without paying. Troopers were able to stop two "heavy duty rental trucks" -- which were driven by the two men -- which were hauling two RV's allegedly stolen from Roy's RV in Elkins.
Corp. D.R. Wolford Jr. of the Elkins detachment reviewed video surveillance footage later at Roy's RV, which according to the complaint shows four "heavy duty pickup trucks" pull into the parking lot of the business at about 12:45 a.m. Friday.
"All four trucks hooked to campers and stole the same from the Roy's RV lot by (1:08 a.m.)," the complaint states.
The four RV's were a 2020 Jayco North Point camper worth $96,350; a 2021 Grand Design Reflection camper worth $48,000; a 2020 Keystone Passport camper worth $37,995; and a 2020 Keyston Passport camper worth $35,505, according to the report.
Officers learned Yankier Gaston Garcia rented a white 2019 Dodge Ram in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 22. The vehicle can be seen on surveillance video traveling though the I77N mile marker 12 license plate reader on July 21 at 10:50 p.m., the complaint states.
"Based upon the time from the rental, travel from Florida to West Virginia, and time frames entering West Virginia at Roy's RV and return to southern West Virginia, these subjects clearly had an intentional plan and conspiracy to travel to Roy's RV and steal said campers," Wolford writes in the complaint.
Taylon and Yankier are each facing up to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy charge and each face up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the stolen property charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.