JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The owner of ASAP Towing & Storage, the “largest towing company in Jacksonville,” pleaded not guilty to grand theft and organized fraud charges during his arraignment in Duval County court Monday.

Vicente Serrano, 59, is accused of defrauding the state out of more than $190,000, according to his arrest report. He was arrested on Nov. 13, 2024, after turning himself in on a warrant at the Police Memorial Building in Downtown Jacksonville.

In an investigation conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) into Serrano’s business, the sheriff’s office says it found he failed to report thousands of dollars acquired through the sale of towed vehicles. Florida law requires towing and wrecker company operators that sell unclaimed vehicles to deposit excess profits with the clerk of court.

In October 2023, JSO conducted an audit of towing companies on its ‘Towing Operators List.’ After the audit, police made a change to comply with Florida statutes requiring all towing companies to produce documents on the public sales of vehicles.

When the changes were implemented in January 2024, detectives found discrepancies in ASAP’s sale documents, the report states.

This discovery prompted JSO to expand its investigation, which revealed additional discrepancies in sale amounts of at least 12 vehicles from October 2023 to December 2023.

Following a review of hundreds of the business’ sale documents, investigators determined a pattern of fraud committed over several years. JSO said Serrano defrauded approximately $193,958.54 from the State of Florida between 2020 to 2024.

After being arrested, Serrano was released on his own recognizance, his arrest report states. He is due back in court on March 19 for a pre-trial hearing.