A four-person group allegedly turned Cleveland-area auto lots into a late-night shopping list, stealing about three dozen vehicles worth roughly $1.5 million over 20 months, prosecutors say. The targets were not random beaters: mostly Dodge Challengers and Durangos, plus other Dodge SUVs, Chevrolets and Jeeps. A Cuyahoga County indictment totaling 110 counts brought the alleged operation into focus Friday as one defendant entered a not-guilty plea.
The case involves thefts from dealerships, hotel parking lots and commercial plazas in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Mayfield, Brunswick and Westlake during 2024 and 2025. According to Cleveland.com reports, prosecutors say the group used blank key fobs and specialized devices to reprogram digital keys, then returned to some locations for additional vehicles. The indictment also alleges members photographed stolen cars for online posts, removed plates or swapped parts to conceal them, and repainted at least one vehicle.
The defendants are Perrion Dargan, 26, of Painesville; Macquise Lewis, 28, of Cleveland; Myles Patterson, 32, of Cleveland; and Kennedy Lovelace, 24, of Shaker Heights. Dargan is being held in Cuyahoga County Jail on a $500,000 bond, while Lewis remains jailed on a $100,000 bond. Patterson was released after posting 10% of a $100,000 bond, and authorities had not arrested Lovelace as of Friday.
The Alleged Blueprint
According to the report, the alleged thefts were built around speed, access and resale value. Members allegedly programmed blank fobs to work with vehicles they intended to take, drove away under cover of darkness, and used online photos to show off or market the stolen inventory. Prosecutors say the operation was less about joyrides than turning desirable vehicles into quick cash.
The technology-heavy method fits a recent Northeast Ohio pattern. A 2025 case covered by News 5 Cleveland involved allegations that a separate group stole 58 vehicles, mostly Jeeps and Dodges, using a professional-grade device capable of accessing vehicle computer systems and programming electronic keys. Investigators in that case said some vehicles were disguised with altered plates or tinted windows before being resold or moved out of the region.
Northeast Ohio Has Seen Dealership Rings Before
The alleged operation also lands in a region with a recent history of coordinated dealership thefts. In 2023, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges against 11 people accused of breaking into 26 dealerships and stealing 86 vehicles worth an estimated $5.1 million across 11 counties.
That earlier case included Dodge Challengers, Chargers and Durangos, along with Jeeps, Mercedes-Benz vehicles, BMWs and other high-end models. Prosecutors said some stolen vehicles were later used in violent crimes, including a drive-by shooting and an assault on a peace officer. The current indictment similarly includes felonious assault charges against all four defendants, while police said members of the group were involved in a June 2025 drive-by shooting.
Charges Include Alleged Gunfire At Officers
Patterson pleaded not guilty Friday to racketeering, conspiracy, fraud, felonious assault and possessing criminal tools in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Prosecutors also allege that Dargan and Lovelace fired at law enforcement officers with a Glock 29 handgun in June 2025.
The case remains allegations, not convictions. All four defendants are presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges in court.
