LANSING – Former Lincoln Township Police Department Detective Lieutenant Johnathan Chase, 54, of Stevensville, was arraigned on October 22 by Judge Charles LaSata of the 5th District Court in St. Joseph on multiple felony charges for allegedly falsifying salvage vehicle inspections, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Chase has been charged with: 

• Eight counts of False Certification, each a 1 to 5-year felony; 
• Two counts of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, a 7-year felony; and  
• One count of Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony. 

“Salvage vehicle inspections are vital to protecting residents from stolen or unsafe vehicles on our roads,” Nessel said. “When law enforcement officers abuse their authority and compromise that process, they not only betray public trust but also put innocent owners at risk. I appreciate the Michigan State Police for bringing this matter to our attention, and we will continue to hold those who misuse their positions accountable.” 

Salvage vehicle inspections are conducted to ensure that vehicles extensively damaged or reconstructed with parts from other sources are safe and that their components are not traced to stolen vehicles. Officers performing these inspections must certify the origin of all parts. Chase, who was the sole officer responsible for salvage vehicle certifications within the Lincoln Township Police Department, reportedly submitted multiple falsified salvage inspection forms to the Michigan Department of State.  

The Michigan State Police Southwest Commercial Auto Recovery Team (SCAR) investigated this matter and referred the case to the Department of Attorney General’s Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement (FORCE) Team. 

Chase will next appear before the 5th District Court on October 31st. 

The FORCE Team was established in January 2023 by the Attorney General to target criminal organizations that steal products from retailers to repackage and sell for a profit. Two assistant attorneys general serve the unit full time, working with special agents within the Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police detectives to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The FORCE team also partners with the FBI’s Detroit Fraud and Financial Crimes Task Force and the Postal Inspection Service. This is a first-in-the-nation unit, unique in the 50 states as being the first such unit with embedded, dedicated staff from the Department of Attorney General. 

The FORCE Team is dedicated to working collaboratively with retailers and local law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime. Recent corporate partners on investigations have included Sam’s Club/Walmart, Meijer, Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Rite-Aid, Lululemon, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and Lowe’s.