Spring mechanic sentenced to 23 years in series of thefts

A Spring mechanic has been sentenced to 23 years and restitution of almost $750,000 as part of a plea deal tied to a series of thefts victimizing more than 40 area businesses and people, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Wednesday.

Jason Edward Mott, 39, had previously been sentenced to 16 years in prison for running similar scams, was passing counterfeit checks off closed or fictitious accounts to set up auto performance shops and purchase high-dollar merchandise. Among other things, he stole tools, auto parts, six forklifts valued at over $300,000 and a 1967 Chevy Camaro worth $20,000

Mott was paroled on December 5, 2015, after serving four years on a 16-year sentence out of Montgomery County.

Within days of being released, he began using fake checks and a check-kiting scheme to set up a string of shops across Harris County, Montgomery County and Splendora and Cleveland, according to authorities

“It’s gratifying to bring people to justice who prey on others and take advantage of them through lies, trickery and deceit,” said Assistant District Attorney Jason Horn, who prosecuted the case.