A Detroit man, Derrick Woods, 49, maintained he was framed during his sentencing in Midland County’s 42nd Circuit Court for defrauding a Midland woman out of her 2022 black Ford Mustang.
On May 1, Woods pleaded no contest to one count of false pretenses involving $50,000 to $100,000 and one count of obtaining a signature with intent to defraud.
“I got set up,” Woods told Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Beale.
On June 12, Woods was sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison for the false pretenses charge, with a minimum of 18 months to serve. He also received 11 months for the signature offense, to be served concurrently.
Additionally, Woods was ordered to pay $17,912 in restitution to one victim and $26,000 to another.
Woods was accused of “title washing,” a fraudulent act that hides a vehicle’s ownership history or true background. Warning signs include titles recently issued from out of state, inconsistencies in vehicle reports, or unusually low prices for newer models.
Assistant Midland County Prosecutor Courtney Driscoll explained that Woods was involved in a scheme to defraud a Midland woman by taking her car and then reselling it to a buyer in Ohio.
In a police interview, Woods admitted retrieving the vehicle, performing title washing, and immediately selling the car in Ohio for cash at a significantly lower price.
He also admitted to other title washing crimes but claimed he acted under instructions from an unnamed individual.
A Midland woman testified that she sold her Ford Mustang on Facebook Marketplace, owed $62,000 on it, and worked with Ford Motor Credit to pay off the balance.
On March 20, 2024, Ford Motor Credit reported the vehicle’s balance as paid and the transaction complete. Woods then transferred the title to himself and took the car.
Days later, Ford alerted the woman that the transaction was fraudulent and she still owed $61,400. Police discovered the vehicle was sold to a dealership in Ohio.
The victim also received a call from an elderly couple with $26,000 in cash, who were supposed to buy the Mustang. Woods allegedly used the victim’s number to facilitate the resale.
Woods is linked to three other similar scams in Traverse City, Caro, and Bowling Green, Ohio, according to Midland Police Detective Mark Stefaniak.
Judge Beale rejected Woods’s claim that he was unaware or tricked into the crime, citing Woods’s prior 2017 armed robbery conviction and lack of credibility.
“I’m not accepting your position that you were tricked into taking the car, selling it, and keeping the cash,” Beale said.
Woods remains in custody at the Midland County Jail.
