Gang members indicted in theft

16 men charged in rental car scheme

Sixteen reputed members and associates of the Yung Money/yung Gunz Bloods street gang stole rental vehicles in Nevada and other states, sold the cars for cash, and then bragged about their crimes on social media, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Las Vegas.

The 13-count indictment, returned by a federal grand jury last week, charges 16 men with wire fraud, conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, sale or receipt of stolen vehicles, and related counts. It focuses on alleged criminal activity that occurred from July 2015 to April 2017 in Nevada, California, Texas, Tennessee, Arizona and Florida.

Authorities arrested the defendants, all of whom are Texas natives, in Houston and Atlanta. They are accused of using fraudulent personal identification documents to obtain debit cards, which they used to rent vehicles from various car rental companies. Then they would transfer the vehicles across state lines and create false titles, inspection reports, and bills of sale before listing the stolen vehicles on Craigslist and other The defendants “posted comments on social media sites such as Instagram, bragging about their criminal activities, and including posting photographs of themselves possessing large amounts of unlawfully obtained cash,” the indictment states.

internet sites. They allegedly sold the vehicles for cash at a lower price than the car’s actual value.

INDICTMENT

“Party houses are a problem, not short-term rentals,” Beers said.

But Councilman Bob Coffin disagreed, and called short-term rentals the “root of the problem.”

“It’s just a party house wrapped in a different wrapper,” Coffin said.

The new rules will require operators to pay $1,000 to obtain a special-use permit from the city. Tarkanian has said the fee is the most important aspect of the new regulations.

The rules also call for proof of liability insurance coverage for at least $500,000 and a placard displayed on the exterior of each rental unit with 24-hour contact information. Shortterm rentals would not be permitted within 660 feet of one another.

Citystaffsaidthereare161licensed short-term rentals in the city’sborders,withhundredsothers operating without a license. Of those licensed houses, there are five consideredproblematicthattheyare monitoring.

Coffin said those rentals are commercial businesses operating in residential neighborhoods, and that “we just can’t have that.”

Both sides complain

Many of the complaints about short-term rental homes have come from residents in older neighborhoods such as Scotch 80s, located near Rancho Drive and Oakey Boulevard. Because of the proximity to Downtown Las Vegas and the Strip, those areas are seen as prime spots for short-term rentals.

But those residents say renters leave the neighborhoods trashed, and have ruined their sense of community.

Proponents of short-term rentals say they give visitors more options, and many agreed that the party homes should be stamped out. But they said there’s no guarantee special permits would stop the party-house problem because most operators will continue to rent without a license.

Some of those who operate shortterm rentals, such as Julie Davies, who has had an application to rent out her downtown condominium since February 2016, said the new regulations will likely cause them to take their businesses elsewhere.

“I’ll probably take my money and my good practices and leave,” Davies said.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal. com or 702-383-4638. Follow @ Coltonlochhead on Twitter.