Memphis police have arrested two individuals, Marcos Marquina and Charlotte Tunstall, in connection with the operation of a chop shop in Hickory Ridge after recovering six stolen vehicles. The bust happened on Monday when detectives responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at a local mechanic shop off Mendenhall, according to Action News 5.
Upon arrival and after a thorough search of the premises, detectives identified signs of a chop shop operation and six stolen vehicles, including a Toyota 4Runner initially reported stolen last March. Two individuals were taken into custody: Marquina and Tunstall, who claimed to be a co-owner of the business. The property contained stripped vehicle parts and cars in various stages of disassembly, consistent with a chop shop's modus operandi, as stated by FOX13 Memphis.
In a detailed account by WREG, Marquina claimed to have been unknowingly employed at the chop shop, following orders from the owner without awareness of the illegalities involved. He reportedly told the authorities that he "simply tells him what to do and he does it," and said the owner hired him "because he’s Hispanic and doesn’t ask questions." Marquina's role at the mechanic shop was purportedly limited to the tasks assigned to him without knowledge of the vehicles' illicit origins.
On the other hand, Tunstall presented herself at the scene and informed officers of her role as the co-owner. She initially tried to assert the operation's legitimacy, even producing a fake title for one of the cars when questioned by police. "She runs a legitimate business and all the vehicles at the property were legitimate," Tunstall told the police, as reported by FOX13 Memphis. Additionally, upon confronting her with inconsistencies in paperwork, Tunstall admitted to her involvement in the paperwork facet of the business and acknowledged the presence of several of the stolen vehicles.
Ultimately, Marquina and Tunstall face multiple charges, including altering or destroying a motor vehicle serial number, falsifying titles, violating chop shop laws, and stealing property. According to WREG, Tunstall's bond was set at $350,000. The recovered vehicles' value ranged from $6,000 to $84,000 as they were reported stolen from June 2018 to March 2024, further solidifying the gravity of this criminal operation.
