Federal prosecutors say a San Clemente towing company turned Marines’ cars into auction fodder while the owners were on duty, and now the Justice Department is dragging the firm into court.
The Justice Department sued S & K Towing Inc. of San Clemente today, accusing the company of illegally auctioning nearly 150 vehicles owned by military members, many of them towed from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. According to the federal complaint, some of those cars were sold or otherwise disposed of even after S & K was notified that the registered owners were on active duty. The suit is the latest in a series of federal enforcement actions aimed at protecting servicemembers’ property rights while they serve.
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says the alleged sales took place between August 2020 and April 2025 and that several of the vehicles were registered to Camp Pendleton addresses. The complaint also recounts that a Military Legal Assistance lawyer flagged the practice in 2024 and that a manager allegedly told the attorney, “We do this all the time.”
What The Government Says The Law Requires
The suit alleges violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which bars selling or otherwise disposing of a servicemember’s property without first obtaining a court order. The Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative describes the department’s role in enforcing those protections and handling SCRA-related complaints. For background on the statute and the department’s enforcement work, see the Department of Justice.
S & K’s Local Footprint
S & K Towing lists a San Clemente headquarters and advertises weekly vehicle auctions at an Aliso Viejo yard, while noting on its website that it tows in and around Camp Pendleton. The firm’s online pages say it serves South Orange County and holds auctions weekly, details the DOJ complaint focuses on in alleging that unlawful sales were baked into routine business.
What To Do If Your Car Was Affected
Service members and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights were violated are advised to contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance office. The Department of Defense maintains an online legal-services locator for active-duty personnel and families. The Armed Forces Legal Assistance site lists office locations and resources for military legal help: Armed Forces Legal Assistance.
Legal Stakes And Precedent
If the Justice Department proves SCRA violations, remedies in past cases have included monetary compensation, civil penalties and court-ordered policy changes to prevent repeat conduct. For example, the department reached a consent order in 2020 with a Florida towing company that required payment to an affected Marine and new procedures to avoid unlawful auctions. The DOJ has used similar settlements to push for nationwide training and compliance. See the department’s 2020 press release for that case.
The complaint is now in federal court and could result in both damages for affected servicemembers and injunctive terms that change how auctions and lien sales are handled locally. S & K’s public pages continue to advertise auctions and list a San Clemente address, and the outcome of this case may ripple across military families in South Orange County and at Camp Pendleton as the filings move forward.
