New Jersey sheriff’s officer indicted in alleged stolen-car ring

A Passaic County Sheriff’s officer was indicted for his involvement in a stolen-car ring, authorities announced yesterday. Rafael Galan, a 23-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, was charged with official misconduct, conspiracy to receive stolen property, receiving stolen property, unlawful alteration to motor vehicle identification numbers, tampering with public records, and misrepresentation in motor-vehicle records, said Camelia Valdes, the Passaic County prosecutor. The prosecutor’s office, the state Attorney General, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the state Motor Vehicle Commission were all involved in the investigation, which turned up numerous stolen vehicles that had fraudulent titles and registrations, Valdes said.