Father, son accused of owning stolen truck

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August 10, 2012

Father, son accused of owning stolen truck

Anonymous Staff Report The Daily Star Fri Aug 10, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

A father and son from the town of Burlington were charged Tuesday with multiple felonies in connection with a stolen pickup truck, Otsego County deputies said after a four-month investigation.

According to a media release issued Wednesday, Michael Oefelein, 28, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, illegal possession of a vehicle identification number and being an unregistered dismantler.

He and his father, Keith Oefelien Sr., 54, were each charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and first-degree falsifying business records, deputies said.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division, the state Department of Motor Vehicles Division of Field Investigations Auto Theft and Frauds Utica Field Office and the state Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigation Unit conducted the investigation.

Deputies said March 31, Deputy Michael Stalter stopped Michael Oefelein for having an unregistered trailer on county Route 16 in Burlington. Stalter observed that the federal certification label with the vehicle identification number was missing from the inside of the driver's door when Oefelein got out of his 2005 Ford F-350 pickup, which was impounded for further investigation, deputies said.

DMV Investigator Paul Hojohn determined that the 2005 Ford pickup had been stolen in Melbourne, Fla., in 2009, deputies said. Oefelein allegedly changed multiple parts on the vehicle including the VIN plate and then had it registered in New York state.

In April 2011, Keith Oefelein Sr. and his son obtained a false title and registration for the pickup, deputies said.

The defendants surrendered themselves at the sheriff's office Tuesday. They were arraigned by Burlington Judge Daniel Wilber. Keith Oefelein Sr. posted $2,500 bail, authorities said, and Michael Oefelein was sent to Otsego County jail on $20,000 bail and was released on bond.