Dealer illegally selling cars in Fresno was convicted felon, detectives say. More victims?
Detectives are looking for more potential victims after arresting a convicted felon found to be running a fraudulent car business, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
Deputies arrested Christopher Michael Asher, 56, of Fresno on Thursday and accused him of multiple car theft and forgery crimes, according to a news release.
A Huntington Beach car dealer reported to detectives he was searching for a stolen car in the Fresno area in August, the sheriff’s office said.
The car was sold for $58,000 to Asher, who presented himself as the general manager of Artanis Automotive, 5494 E. Lamona Ave. in Fresno, the release said.
Asher, a convicted felon, was not permitted to have a dealer’s license but used forged documents to obtain one, detectives said.
He’s been convicted of multiple felonies related to forgery, theft and other fraud related crimes going back to the early 1990s, court records show.
The Huntington Beach dealer sent the car to Asher, before the $58,000 check bounced, the release said.
Detectives were able to track down the car and found another man driving it. They determined the driver put $12,000 down on the car to obtain it from Asher, who also fraudulently helped the man get financing, according to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives served a search warrant on Thursday at Asher’s home before the arrest. They said they have since identified other victims.
Asher’s bail was set at $117,000, the release said. He posted bond and has been released from jail with a court hearing scheduled for May 19.
It was not immediately clear if Asher had an attorney.
“We in law enforcement want to inform the public of Asher’s illegal activity because there is a good chance there are more victims out there who have dealt with Asher and do not realize they have been taken advantage of or never filed a police report,” the release said.
The sheriff’s office says any potential victims should call 559-600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 or www.valleycrimestoppers.org.
Crime Stoppers allows anyone to remain anonymous and they may be eligible for a cash reward. Reference the HEAT/CHP case No. F146-412-23.
This story was originally published April 4, 2023 at 9:49 AM.
