3 workers accused of defrauding at least 15 customers in car dealership fraud case

BACLIFF, Texas (KTRK) -- From the car lot to behind bars. Three dealership employees are accused of defrauding at least 15 customers by knowingly selling them vehicles that still had liens on them. The lot was empty on Monday at Dealer Union in Bacliff, and the company is listed as closed permanently online.

As the doors are shut, multiple people face criminal charges for defrauding more than a dozen customers, and the problems still remain. Families are now stuck with hefty payments for vehicles they can't use.

Elizabeth Rodriguez and her family say they're frustrated after buying a used black pick-up truck from Dealer Union nearly a year ago.

"My loan company gave them money to clear off his loan so they would have a letter of release so the dealership would have the truck's title, but obviously, they kept the money and didn't pay the first lienholder. So they still have ownership technically," Rodriguez said.

She says the people she trusted to sell them a truck for their growing family took advantage of her family and others giving them excuses like delays at the DMV for not being able to get their metal license plates.

"I just don't understand why. Why do this to people who have families who earn their money? It's just not fair," Rodriguez said.

Investigators say Noraly Oropeza, Daniel Delgadillo, and Eduardo Delgadillo are all accused of selling used vehicles to new buyers and not paying off the lien from the previous owner, creating a ripple effect of problems for the new owners.

"I remember feeling like my heart sank. 'Oh my goodness.' There's another lien on it. I cannot put my name on this vehicle at all," Rodriguez said.

The Rodriguez family is still paying $758 to their lien company monthly for a truck that now sits in their driveway unable to be driven with expired paper plates.

Rodriguez is hoping they're able to find a resolution for this issue, as those accused will now have to wait for their day in court.

Police told ABC13 it's important to ask for the vehicle history report in an attempt to prevent something like this from happening to them.

For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, X and Instagram.