Two Charlotte Men Charged With Orchestrating High-End Auto Thefts From South Carolina Businesses Appear In Court

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Aaron Duncan Hall, 31, a Charlotte man charged in the theft of numerous high-end vehicles from multiple businesses in South Carolina made his initial appearance in federal court this morning, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The federal indictment charging Hall was unsealed last week and also charges Jacquarreus Rashon Clyburn, 26, of Charlotte, for conspiring with Hall to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, and interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle. Clyburn, who is also charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, made his initial federal court appearance last week and is scheduled to appear in court again tomorrow. 

U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).

According to allegations contained in Hall and Clyburn’s indictment, from December 2022 to April 2023, the men were part of a conspiracy to steal high-end vehicles from multiple businesses located throughout South Carolina. The indictment alleges that Hall and Clyburn and other co-conspirators generally stole the luxury vehicles late at night or into the early morning hours, using wire cutters to cut open large portions of security fences surrounding the targeted businesses. Once inside, the co-conspirators allegedly drove the vehicles off the lots through the openings of the security fences, often using key fobs left overnight in the vehicles. According to the indictment, Hall and Clyburn and their co-conspirators drove several of the stolen South Carolina vehicles back to Charlotte. The indictment further alleges that, over the course of the scheme, the co-conspirators stole at least 20 vehicles made by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Land Rover, and highly desired Dodge models such as Challengers and Chargers, worth over $900,000.

As alleged in the indictment, Hall, Clyburn and their co-conspirators used a number of methods to avoid detection by law enforcement, to include using fake tags to transport the stolen vehicles, removing the stolen vehicles’ GPS navigation and tracking systems, listening to police radio transmissions, and fleeing from law enforcement to evade arrest.

This is the second indictment filed in the Western District of North Carolina related to criminal activity stemming from high-end vehicle thefts. In August 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought charges against five individuals for their alleged involvement in the theft of dozens of luxury vehicles worth millions of dollars from car dealerships located across the United States.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The charge of conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney King thanked FBI, HSI, and CMPD for their investigative efforts and recognized the contributions of many other state and local law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.