TUSCALOOSA, ALA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for possessing and conspiring to steal over $800,000 in high-end motor vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jamarus D. Hoskins, 30, of Greensboro, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for conspiring to steal at least 18 high-end motor vehicles, and to 97 months in prison for receiving or possessing stolen motor vehicles. The sentences will run concurrently. Hoskins was convicted by a jury in November 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, between December 2020 and January 2023, Hoskins was the ringleader of an organized conspiracy to steal high-end motor vehicles from private citizens and car dealerships at various locations across the United States. Hoskins directed members of the conspiracy to steal vehicles and replace the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) with fake VINs. The vehicles were registered with the Alabama Department of Revenue using fraudulent out-of-state titles, and Hoskins sold them for cash at below market price. Hoskins and his co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles, including a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk from a victim in Michigan, a Chevrolet Corvette from a victim in Tennessee, three Ford trucks from a dealership in Tennessee, and a Chevrolet Camaro and several vehicle tags from another dealership in Tennessee.
“Jamarus Hoskins and his co-conspirators terrorized car dealerships and innocent victims across the United States for years,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Hoskins and his crew thought the fast cars they stole and sophisticated techniques they used would help them escape responsibility for their crimes. They were wrong.”
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort our team put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and can no longer terrorize or threaten the hardworking citizens and businesses in our country,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Division. “This case serves as another example of our U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners working together to identify, dismantle, and disrupt organized criminal networks while effectively holding reckless criminals accountable. Let it be clear: the rule of law is not optional.”
The FBI investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward “Ted” Canter prosecuted the case.
