STRATFORD, Conn. — A former Stratford High School teacher surrendered to authorities on Dec. 4 following a lengthy investigation into a multi-state vehicle fraud operation.
James G. O’Neil, 47, of West Haven, turned himself in to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles after an arrest warrant was issued for his alleged role in fraudulent vehicle transactions involving stolen cars.
The DMV’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Division conducted a nearly seven-month investigation, collaborating with law enforcement and motor vehicle departments across several states. Investigators uncovered a network of illegal activities involving forged documents connected to vehicles O’Neil owned, traded, or sold. Multiple stolen vehicles were seized as part of the probe.
O’Neil faces several Connecticut charges, including title fraud, second-degree forgery, and motor vehicle larceny. He was released on a $50,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Milford Superior Court on Dec. 18.
DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera praised the investigation: “I would like to applaud the work of our auto theft personnel. Their collaboration with other agencies has been instrumental.”
This is O’Neil’s second arrest for vehicle-related fraud. In January, he was arrested for an extensive internet scam involving the use of school equipment. Stratford police began their latest investigation in November 2024 after receiving an anonymous tip that O’Neil was altering bills of sale and other documents to sell vehicles illegally on Facebook.
Search warrants executed on O’Neil’s school computers and a 2023 Jeep Wrangler led to the seizure of evidence and the issuance of a felony arrest warrant. U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended him in New York on Jan. 1, charging him as a fugitive from justice. He was held at Rikers Island before being extradited to Connecticut.
On Jan. 8, Stratford police charged O’Neil with second-degree forgery, third-degree identity theft, and illegal operation of a repair business without a license, with his bond set at $75,000.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by Connecticut authorities to combat vehicle-related fraud and illegal car sales.
