ASAP Towing owner says JSO investigation into possible organized fraud is retaliation for ongoing litigation

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) believes employees of a troubled Jacksonville towing company may be withholding evidence in violation of Florida’s theft and fraud laws.

The JSO’s investigation appears to revolve around proceeds from the sale of unclaimed cars by ASAP Towing, which was served with a search warrant on Thursday. When a sale brings in more money than it costs to impound the vehicle, those funds must be filed with the clerk of court.

The search warrant provided to ASAP Towing’s I-TEAM indicates that the JSO was looking for documents related to the sale of vehicles, bank statements for all locations, or “any tools possessed or used in connection with the illegal activity.”

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The company’s owner told News4JAX on Friday that he had done nothing wrong.

Vince Serrano, president and CEO of ASAP Towing and Storage, said all four of the company’s locations were delivered on Friday.

He also said he was cooperating and claimed the sheriff’s office was retaliating against him due to a legal dispute.

“All I did was be a good steward for the people of Jacksonville. And when we seized cars, I fulfilled my fiduciary responsibility to get them all the money they were entitled to,” Serrano said.

After News4JAX published an article about the warrant execution on Thursday, dozens of people commented on the company’s business practices as shady, saying things like they only accept cash on weekends.

“You know what? I’ve looked at all of these comments, every single one. And they all have one thing in common: They were towed,” Serrano said.

Last year, JSO removed ASAP Towing from its towing company offerings after the company was discovered removing a dozen cars from apartment complexes without the complex managers present as required.

In a letter to the towing company, JSO wrote that it discovered that an ASAP Towing employee had also hired an outside company to authorize towing operations from apartment complexes, including one case where the property manager had not authorized the removal of the vehicles.

ASAP filed suit, claiming that a property manager could grant approval remotely.

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Serrano said ASAP on Thursday handed over documents related to the sale of 46 vehicles, including financial records from 2020 to the present and computer data images.

“Basically our entire business,” he said.

Serrano said his company started with just one truck and now has 30. He declined to disclose how much profit ASAP Towing makes, but said in terms of revenue, it is a “$10 million company.”

Serrano told the I-TEAM that he lives in a $3 million home and that JSO believes he doesn’t deserve it.

“You know, a lot of people don’t want other people to be happy. That’s an unfortunate situation in America. But I’ve worked really hard and done honest work all my life,” he said.

The warrant alleges that ASAP’s Westside location is being used to conceal evidence related to over $50,000 worth of theft and organized fraud.

No charges have been filed against Serrano at this time and the JSO said the investigation is active.