Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Grand Theft Auto After Flock Alert Helped Police Locate Stolen Trailer Containing Stolen Motorcycles
NORFOLK, Va. — Richard P. Perkins Jr., 37, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring to commit and committing grand larceny of an automobile from an incident last year in which a Flock alert helped police locate a stolen trailer and multiple stolen motorcycles that were in Mr. Perkins’ and his co-defendant’s possession. Co-defendant Ty David Tonioli, 42, was sentenced earlier this year for his role in the same incident.
On Aug. 1, 2023, Mr. Tonioli stole a white enclosed 2020 Forest River trailer in Virginia Beach. Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 11, Mr. Tonioli and Mr. Perkins collectively stole a 2010 Ducati, a 2019 Kawasaki, and a 2019 Yamaha motorcycle in Norfolk. All the property that was reported stolen was entered by local law enforcement to the Flock system.
On Aug. 11, Mr. Tonioli was driving eastbound on Interstate 264 in a pickup truck with the stolen trailer attached. Mr. Perkins and another individual were passengers in the truck. Norfolk Police received a Flock alert on the trailer’s license plate and tried to pull Mr. Tonioli over. Mr. Tonioli fled the traffic stop and continued onto Interstate 64 driving westbound at speeds up to 95 mph. Virginia State troopers assisted Norfolk Police officers during their pursuit of Mr. Tonioli, which finally ended when Mr. Tonioli ran out of gas.
Officers detained Mr. Tonioli, Mr. Perkins, and the other passenger. When officers searched the stolen trailer, they found the stolen Ducati and Yamaha motorcycles. Mr. Tonioli admitted to stealing the trailer and the Yamaha motorcycle, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Tonioli confessed to stealing the Kawasaki motorcycle together and later trading it for the stolen Ducati, and Mr. Tonioli also confessed to stealing the pickup truck he had been driving.
In November 2023, Mr. Tonioli pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny of an automobile, one count of selling stolen property, and one count of felony eluding. Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. accepted Mr. Tonioli’s plea agreement and sentenced him in January 2024 to serve one year and seven months in prison.
On Tuesday, Mr. Perkins pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit grand larceny of an automobile and committing grand larceny of an automobile. In exchange for Mr. Perkins’ plea, the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss an additional charge against him, seek an active sentence of six months in jail, and request his completion of the Community Corrections Alternative Program. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Perkins’ plea agreement and continued his sentencing hearing to Dec. 20.
“Mr. Perkins and Mr. Tonioli were able to steal multiple vehicles in a short time, but the police and the Flock system caught up with them,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The responsible use of technology led to the quick arrest and conviction of the people who committed these crimes, all while avoiding unnecessary police-citizen encounters.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney W. Joshua Holder prosecuted Mr. Perkins’ case, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jessica L. Terkovich prosecuted Mr. Tonioli’s case, and Norfolk Police Detective Mark R. Lowery led the investigation.
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Judge Sentences Man to More Than 1 ½ Years for Eluding Norfolk Police After FLOCK Alert on Stolen Trailer
NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk Circuit Court judge sentenced Ty David Tonioli, 42, on Friday to one year and seven months in prison for stealing a trailer and motorcycles last year and for eluding officers in a stolen truck with the attached stolen trailer containing the stolen motorcycles.
On Aug. 1, Mr. Tonioli stole a white enclosed 2020 Forest River trailer in Virginia Beach. Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 11, Mr. Tonioli stole a 2010 Ducati, a 2019 Kawasaki, and a 2019 Yamaha motorcycle in Norfolk. All the stolen property was entered by law enforcement to the Hampton Roads-wide FLOCK system.
On Aug. 11, Mr. Tonioli was driving eastbound on Interstate 264 in a pickup truck with the stolen trailer attached. Norfolk Police received a FLOCK alert on the trailer’s license plate and tried to pull Mr. Tonioli over. Mr. Tonioli fled the traffic stop and continued onto Interstate 64 driving westbound at speeds up to 95 mph. Virginia State troopers assisted Norfolk Police officers during their pursuit of Mr. Tonioli, which finally ended when Mr. Tonioli ran out of gas.
When officers searched the stolen trailer, they found the stolen Ducati and Yamaha motorcycles. Officers detained Mr. Tonioli and two passengers from the truck. Mr. Tonioli subsequently admitted to stealing the trailer, stealing the Kawasaki and Yamaha motorcycles, and trading the Kawasaki for the Ducati, which he knew to also have been stolen. Mr. Tonioli also confessed to stealing the pickup truck he had been driving.
On Nov. 1, Mr. Tonioli pleaded guilty to two counts of the grand larceny of an automobile, one count of selling stolen property worth $1,000 or more, and one count of felony eluding. Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. accepted Mr. Tonioli’s plea agreement, which included a maximum active sentence of two years and one month.
On Friday, Judge Martin sentenced Mr. Tonioli to one year and seven months in prison and suspended an additional two years on the conditions that Mr. Tonioli complete two years of uniform good behavior and supervised probation upon his release.
“Mr. Tonioli stole property from multiple people and then endangered himself, the officers, and the public when he eluded the police,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Do not steal, and when the police turn on their lights, you must stop, or there will be serious consequences.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Victoria V. Kapper and Jessica L. Terkovich prosecuted Mr. Tonioli’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Mark R. Lowery led the investigation.
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