Macon Police officers responded to a civil dispute at Ash and Third Streets. The officers learned that a subject named Romero Minor, an employee of Prestige Auto on Emery Highway at Gray Highway, possibly was involved in a Theft by Conversion. A Macon Police officer convinced the store owner to speak with his employee at Prestige Auto's body shop at Third and Ash Streets.

Upon further investigation, MPD officers learned that Minor currently is on probation in Ohio. An NCIC check on Minor revealed he was wanted by the US Marshals on an outstanding warrant. When contacted, the US Marshals requested that a hold be placed on him.
MPD learned that Minor and six other men had been involved in a $7.5 Million fraud scheme involving mortgage loans for 48 properties in Ohio where there they faced a 49-count indictment. According to federal prosecutors, the scheme was crafted by Romero Minor of Macon, Georgia and Wendell Kerr of Gautier, Mississippi.

The indictment alleges that from July 2003 - January 2006 Minor organized a mortgage fraud scheme involving 48 properties in which Minor and Kerr used entities created by Minor, Minor Ministries, and BFB Investments to recruit " straw buyers"/investors. Minor represented these entities and convinced them he needed individuals with good credit to purchase or apply for mortgage loans on properties in their names to help others with bad credit who could not purchase homes in their own names.

Minor and his partner entered into rent-to-own agreements with individuals with poor credit under the guise of helping them improve their credit scores by renting the property for a year. Minor promised to collect the rent, pay the mortgages and taxes on the properties, and maintain them for approximately one year, at which time he would sell the property to the tenant, transferring it out of the straw buyer's name.
According to documentation, Minor did not assist individuals with poor credit, nor did he enter into any rent-to-own agreements. Instead, he conspired with loan officers, title attorneys and appraisers.

The indictment charges one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, involving the entire mortgage fraud scheme and 48 counts of Wire Fraud - one count for each property.

According to Macon Police Chief Mike Burns, "The two officers who tracked this case did an excellent job in uncovering Romero Minor here in Macon, who was wanted on federal charges in Ohio Studying and sharing information with other agencies is an essential link in crime solving. I'm proud of the diligence and tenacity of my officers. This widespread financial scheme comes to an end here."