LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. — Trancito Merida Gutierrez, a roofing company owner, was arrested in southwest Missouri after authorities discovered he used stolen credit card information to buy more than $23,000 worth of tires.
Police say Gutierrez purchased 24 Goodyear tires on July 28, 2025, at Jimmy Michel Motors in Aurora, Missouri, using stolen credit cards. An employee of his was sent to pick up the tires. Investigators found this was not the first fraudulent purchase — Gutierrez had previously bought eight tires with stolen cards from the same dealership.
On August 1, Gutierrez attempted to buy 32 more tires totaling over $13,000. After initial declines, he split the payment across multiple cards to complete the purchase. When an employee arrived to pick up this batch, police arrested him. The employee said Gutierrez instructed him to deliver the tires to a property in Pierce City.
A search at the Pierce City location recovered the 32 tires, and Gutierrez was also arrested there. His identity was verified by a Jimmy Michel Motors employee who had spoken with him by phone.
Gutierrez initially claimed the tires were legally bought with cash through Facebook Marketplace but changed his story several times during police questioning.
The investigation is ongoing, and Gutierrez faces charges of stealing and fraud.
