Yesterday, a former Lincoln Township detective admitted in court that he certified wrecked and rebuilt cars without proper safety checks, state officials say. Johnathan Chase, 54, of Stevensville, entered a no-contest plea to counts accusing him of falsifying salvage-vehicle inspections. The plea sets up an August sentencing hearing and has reignited worries about how rebuilt vehicles are vetted before they are back on Michigan roads.
Chase pleaded no contest to one count of misconduct in office and one count of false certification, according to a press release from the Michigan Attorney General. Attorney General Dana Nessel said, "By falsifying these inspections, this officer put unverified vehicles on our roads and jeopardized public safety." The office said the case stems from forms Chase allegedly submitted to the Michigan Department of State that certified rebuilt vehicles without proper verification.
Investigation and charges
The Michigan State Police's Southwest Commercial Auto Recovery Team (SCAR) investigated and referred the matter to the Attorney General's Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement (FORCE) Team, which prosecuted the case, according to state officials. Prosecutors first charged Chase in October 2025 after the joint probe uncovered multiple allegedly fraudulent inspection forms, as reported by CBS News Detroit. Those early filings accused him of submitting inspection certificates that skipped required checks, not exactly the kind of shortcut you want on a two-ton machine moving at highway speeds.
How salvage inspections are supposed to work
Under state law, specially trained officers must verify VINs, the origins of major parts, and that rebuilt vehicles meet equipment standards before the Secretary of State will issue a "rebuilt salvage" title, according to the Michigan vehicle code (MCL 257.217c) as published by the Michigan Legislature. The Secretary of State publishes the paperwork and inspection forms that accompany rebuilt-title applications and encourages buyers to check the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System for salvage history, which helps flag undisclosed total-loss vehicles. Those safeguards are designed to keep stolen parts and unsafe repairs off public roads.
What is next
Chase is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10 at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Arthur J. Cotter of the 2nd Circuit Court in Berrien County, the Attorney General's release says. The hearing will take place at the county circuit courthouse in St. Joseph, with county listings placing the courthouse at 811 Port Street, according to the Berrien County government directory. Prosecutors with the FORCE Team said they will continue coordinating with state police and federal partners on vehicle and retail-related fraud cases.
Local context
Michigan has seen similar prosecutions before. In 2017, a former Shelby village police chief pleaded guilty after investigators found he had falsified salvage inspections and mishandled inspection fees, as reported by Oceana County Press. Cases like that, and now Chase's, underscore how much responsibility rests with individual certified inspectors and why audits and oversight are critical once rebuilt cars head back into the used-vehicle market.
The plea was reported by outlets including the Tampa Free Press alongside the Attorney General's formal announcement. Chase remains free pending sentencing, and the August 10 hearing will determine whether the no-contest plea results in jail time, fines, or other penalties under state law.
