Car salesman charged with corrupt activity

By Denise Dick

YOUNGSTOWN — Two men have been arrested, and more arrests are expected after authorities searched a Canfield Road car dealership.

Michael Mrosko, 32, is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. He worked in sales at the business, Fat Man’s Auto Sales.

Jason Coughlin, 34, faces misdemeanor counts of marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. He worked as a mechanic at the business.

Both men live in the city.

Boardman Detective Glenn Patton said the investigation began in 2008.

Authorities raided the business Monday afternoon, the third raid there. Mrosko is accused of withholding titles from people who bought vehicles at the business until the vehicles were paid off.

A dealership is supposed to place a lien on a title until it’s paid off. He’s also accused of issuing duplicate bills of sale for vehicles, the detective said.

“He was taking advantage of people who couldn’t afford higher-end cars,” Patton said.

Without a valid memorandum of title, a person can’t get valid license plates, he said, so a person who bought a vehicle from Fat Man’s could be subjected to fictitious license- plate violations.

There was no answer at the business Tuesday afternoon.

Mrosko, who was lodged in the Mahoning County jail, appeared via video Tuesday morning before Judge Elizabeth Kobly. He’s being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

Coughlin appeared before Judge Kobly on Tuesday morning. His next court date is Nov. 4.

In May 2008, township police searched the business, taking paperwork. In November 2008, city police also searched the business. No arrests were made after either of those two searches.

“Between November 2008 and [Monday], the Ohio attorney general’s office, Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Youngstown police received 28 new complaints” about the dealership, Patton said.

The investigation is ongoing.

denise_dick@vindy.com