The Lowell Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division filed charges on Lake County Sheriff’s Police Deputy Louis Vasquez Tuesday after a three month investigation.
The investigation was done at the request of the Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez. The investigation showed between September 2017 and November 2018, Vasquez accepted cash for completing at least 42 salvage vehicle inspection forms for Fast Import Cars, LLC of Knox, Indiana. These transactions are against Lake County Police Department policy and Indiana State code.
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles considers a vehicle a salvage car if it was built in the last seven model years and it has been damaged or wrecked more than it was worth. An Affidavit of Restoration for a Salvage Motor Vehicle form must be personally examined by an Indiana police officer certifying that they have personally examined the vehicle, major component parts and ownership documents.
Louis Vasquez is a fourteen year veteran of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and has been on administrative leave since the beginning of the investigation. Vasquez has surrendered himself into the Lake County Jail in Crown Point.
Pavel Rohatinovici and Andrii Lakymenko owner/operators of Fast Import Cars, LLC of Knox have also been charged. Rohatinovici and Lakymenko are not in custody at the time of this release.
Vasquez charges:
- Bribery-Level 5 Felony
- Official Misconduct-Level 6 Felony
- Theft-Level 6 Felony
- Perjury-Level 6 Felony
Rohatinovici and Lakymenko charges:
- Perjury-Level 6 Felony
