MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis lobbyist Tyjuan Spencer, 30, has been arrested for allegedly stealing a 2018 Mercedes-Benz valued at nearly $73,000 from a Texas dealership. He faces a charge of theft of property valued between $60,000 and $250,000.
Police located the matte black Mercedes parked at Gayoso Avenue and South Main Street after it was reported stolen out of Plano, Texas. According to authorities, Spencer purchased the vehicle through Elite Lobbyists LLC but never completed the payment.
Investigators said Spencer initially attempted a wire transfer that was canceled, then offered a personal check that bounced. He later claimed he would send a cashier’s check, which never arrived.
When confronted by officers, Spencer claimed the car belonged to a coworker and even led investigators to a nearby office building — where the coworker was nowhere to be found. Surveillance footage confirmed Spencer was the driver, and police found the car keys, as well as mail and personal documents with his name, inside the Mercedes.
Spencer admitted to purchasing the vehicle but claimed he was unaware it had been reported stolen. He told authorities that identity theft and a recent Chapter 13 bankruptcy caused financing issues.
Court records also show that in October, Spencer was arrested for allegedly selling a Tesla he did not own, causing a loss of $13,000 to a Memphis dealership.
He is currently being held on a $40,000 bond pending further legal proceedings.
