New Jersey trucking company employees face money laundering, theft charges

Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, May 5, 2026:

Trucking company employees charged in laundering scheme

Three individuals have been charged following a massive, multi-agency investigation into an $8 million theft and money laundering scheme targeting a Elizabeth, New Jersey-based business.

Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced that Alejandro Garcia, 49, of Manasquan, New Jersey, is charged with first-degree money laundering, multiple counts of second-degree theft, credit card fraud, and conspiracy to commit theft. Sandra Garcia, 51 of Manasquan, is charged with second-degree theft and second-degree conspiracy to commit theft. Rosemarie Ritacco, 46 of Nutley, New Jersey, is also charged with second-degree theft, third-degree theft, and second-degree conspiracy to commit theft. 

The case was initiated by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit in September 2025, following a referral from R. Roman Truck Leasing, Inc. alleging that Mr. Garcia diverted $2.5 million to himself over a 5-year period. R. Roman Truck Leasing is listed as a 14-truck, for-hire motor carrier in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safer database.

The investigation, led by Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Jessica Tattoli, revealed that Alejandro Garcia, a 27-year employee of the company, allegedly stole approximately $8 million from the victim’s business. The investigation uncovered that Garcia used unauthorized checks, cash withdrawals, and payments to other employees to finance a lavish lifestyle for himself and his family. To facilitate the theft, he allegedly established a shadow company titled Roman Truck Leasing Co. of NJ Corporation.

On Tuesday, April 21, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detectives, assisted by the law enforcement officers in the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit, New Brunswick Police Department, and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, executed a warrant at Mr. Garcia’s place of business in New Brunswick.

Additionally, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detectives, assisted by the Wall Township Police Department, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Search Warrant Entry Team, and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General executed a search warrant at a residence in Wall Township and subsequently served Sandra Garcia with a complaint-summons. She is scheduled for her first court appearance on June 4. 

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Ritacco was served with a complaint-summons on April 22 and is scheduled for her first court appearance on June 4. 

Alejandro Garcia turned himself into the Union County Prosecutors Office on April 21, was processed and remains at the Union County Jail pending his detention hearing.

Averitt plans new regional campus in North Carolina

The new location will feature a 75,000-square-foot, 150-door cross-dock, which will be expandable to 200 doors.Averitt

Averitt (CCJ Top 250, No. 25) has announced it will build a new regional campus near Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina.

The expansion will allow the Tennessee-based company to more than double its Charlotte workforce, adding an additional 211 associates over the next four years.

The development, on just over 100 acres, will serve as home to Averitt’s entire regional operation – a single, integrated campus that brings together all five of the company’s service units: less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload, dedicated, distribution and fulfillment and integrated services.

“This Charlotte expansion represents one of the most exciting and distinctive facility investments in Averitt’s 55-year history. It will be unlike any other Averitt location in the country,” said Barry Blakely, president and chief operating officer at Averitt. “The new campus will enable us to deliver faster, more flexible and more efficient service while strengthening our ability to support growing freight demand across the Carolinas and throughout the South.”

The campus will include: 

• A two-story, 16,000-square-foot regional office with training and collaboration space
• A 75,000-square-foot, 150-door cross-dock, expandable to 200 doors
• Two warehouses totaling more than 500,000 square feet of distribution and fulfillment space
• Parking for more than 400 trailers, plus fleet maintenance, fueling, and driver support facilities to elevate the day-to-day experience of its drivers

Construction on the campus is expected to begin immediately and be completed in 2028.

The new campus will replace the 40,000-square-foot service center Averitt currently operates at 3708 Westinghouse Blvd. with 182 full-time associates.

Oregon DOT updates carrier-facing site for taxes, plate renewals, permits

The Oregon Department of Transportation’s Commerce and Compliance Division has launched an updated version of Oregon Trucking Online, its secure platform for individual motor carriers and companies to pay taxes, renew plates and get permits. 

The redesign offers a new look, feel and improved user experience for the division’s 45,000-plus active accounts, ODOT said. Changes include:

• An easier-to-navigate site
• A responsive layout in which elements look the same on a desktop computer as a smartphone
• Better readability with high-contrast colors and a clear reading order to make content easier to read
• Improved translation with more accurate browser-based translation tools

The updated site has been in the works since April 2024. It mirrors CCD’s external website so customers can smoothly transition between the two and find what they need, ODOT added. The project team gave the sites common architecture, making it easier to update and maintain while reducing calls to analysts for assistance.

“We’ve also made a step-by-step comprehensive user manual covering all transactions available on the site,” said Project Manager Gian Olsen. “Our hope is that by making self-service and learning more approachable, those who are unfamiliar will learn how easy and secure the new site is to use and become online customers.”