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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An Atlanta News First investigation into odometer fraud prompted Georgia lawmakers to make the crime a felony, effective July 1, 2026, with penalties ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 and possible jail time.

The investigation exposed how odometer fraud was a state misdemeanor, despite being a federal felony. Carfax estimates 2.5 million cars on the road have tampered odometers.

State Rep. John Corbett, R-Lake Park, who chairs the House Committee on Motor Vehicles, said the issue was not on the committee's radar until he saw the Atlanta News First Investigates' reports.

How the investigation began

The original investigation focused on Shadaja Johnson, a first-time car buyer who purchased a 2013 Honda Ridgeline advertised on Facebook Marketplace with 153,000 miles. Johnson and her mother did a test drive but did not verify the mileage with a Carfax history report.

The night of the purchase, the Honda displayed a check engine light. The next day, they took it to a mechanic who pulled a history report. The truck's emissions test logged an odometer reading of 285,000 miles, nearly double what the seller advertised on Facebook.

Johnson's mother demanded a refund and received it. But a seller relisted the Honda Ridgeline with the same lower mileage.

Broader pattern uncovered

The investigation tracked down the Honda parked outside a Peachtree Corners bowling alley, along with dozens of other cars outside office buildings and one that rents space to more than 100 licensed independent car brokers.

Atlanta News First Investigates collected vehicle identification numbers and cross-referenced them with Facebook Marketplace ads. Carfax ran reports on nine cars posted on the platform. Five had odometer discrepancies of up to 170,000 miles.

Atlanta News First Investigates tracked down the independent car broker, Dennis S. Lewis, with Dede Auto Brokers, who said,  Usually when a customer comes out, you have to explain to them that the mileage is not right. 

Police investigation and arrest

When Atlanta News F

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