Daniel Young Sentenced in U.S. District Court

Topics:  Daniel Young, Auto Plaza

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana
July 17, 2013

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on July 18, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Daniel Young, a 35-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. Young was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 18 months
Special assessment: $100
Restitution: $490,153.43
Supervised release: five years

Young was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to bank fraud.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica T. Fehr, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

Young owned and operated Auto Plaza Inc. in Billings. Auto Plaza sold used vehicles, along with new and used boats, ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and recreational vehicles. Two other individuals were co-owners and/or partners with Young from 2007 to 2010; however, Young was the primary operator of the business. Young operated the dealership and handled the day-to-day financial transactions.

Auto Plaza, Inc. maintained day-to-day operations with the assistance of several financing companies (also referred to as a “floor plan”), including Dealer Services Corporation and First Interstate Bank (FIB). The dealership typically acquired its inventory through the Auto Auction in Billings. After a vehicle was sold by Auto Plaza Inc., the company that provided the financing to originally purchase the car was to be paid off with the proceeds of the sale. The paying off of any liens on vehicles by the financing company allowed for a clear title to be passed to the new buyer of the vehicle.

In approximately October of 2010, FIB canceled the $500,000 floor plan at the Auto Plaza. In approximately November 2010, Dealer Services Corporation also canceled its financing at the Auto Plaza.

During the course of the investigation, it was learned that the dealership was out of trust possibly since the day it obtained its floor plan loan with FIB as well as Dealer Services Corporation; the dealership sold vehicles with unpaid liens and failed to provide new owners titles; the dealership sold vehicles it did not pay for; the dealership sold extended warranties for vehicles that were not actually purchased from the warranty companies; and the dealership sold vehicles/boats it held on consignment and did not pay the owner.

Specifically, on August 1, 2008, in Billings, Young sold a 2005 Mastercraft boat with a lien held by Key Bank N.A., of Brooklyn, Ohio. When Young sold the boat at the Auto Plaza, he caused the submission of false loan documents to First Interstate Bank, in that the new purchaser was told there was no lien on the boat. First Interstate Bank believed it was obtaining a first position on the title of the boat and authorized the loan. The loan was funded by First Interstate Bank and the Auto Plaza received the money for the boat purchase. In furtherance of the scheme, Young lied to a personal banker at First Interstate Bank about the payoff of the lien to Key Bank N.A. and caused the submission of a false lien release to the Montana Division of Motor Vehicles on behalf of Key Bank for the boat.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that Young will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Young does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.