A stolen pickup sold in Rochester leads to jail for Detroit man
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Detroit man has been ordered to serve a jail sentence in Olmsted County for a theft-by-swindle conviction involving a pickup truck that was reported stolen last year in Flint, Michigan.
Olmsted County court records indicate 36-year-old Curtis Jazmin Blevins was sentenced this week to 60 days in jail. He was also placed on probation for five years and was given a stayed 33-month prison sentence that could be imposed if he violates his probation.
Facebook Marketplace Listing Triggered Investigation
He was charged in May of last year with a single count of theft by swindle following an investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol into a suspicious vehicle-for-sale advertisement posted on Facebook Marketplace. According to the criminal complaint, the investigation revealed that the vehicle, a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD, was possibly stolen and that a counterfeit vehicle identification number (VIN) had been used to replace the actual VIN.
Stolen in Michigan
The court document says a State Patrol investigator learned that the pickup had been purchased at auction by a dealership in Iowa, which had hired a transport company to deliver it to the business. At some point during transport, the vehicle was stolen in Michigan.
Purchased by Kasson resid will ent
The criminal complaint indicates the stolen pickup was purchased by an "unwitting" Kasson resident, and the sale took place at a Rochester business that handles vehicle transactions and registrations.
The buyer told investigators he had purchased the vehicle from a man who went by the name of Juan on Facebook, and the court document says investigators later identified Blevins as the seller.
Conflicting Claims About Vehicle's History
When interviewed by an investigator, the court document says Blevins initially claimed he purchased the vehicle at a dealership in Michigan, but later stated that he had received the pickup from a family member who had died. The complaint notes that he was unable to provide the name of the family member listed on the Wisconsin title for the vehicle.
Paid 50 Grand
The purchaser of the stolen pickup told authorities that he paid $50,000 for the vehicle.
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