On July 5, 2025, Victim, a known adult male, had previously listed his motorcycle for sale and LATOYA MAUREEN THOMAS [DOB REDACTED] "Defendant Thomas," responded that she wanted to purchase the motorcycle for her boyfriend. Around 9:00 P.M., that day, Victim met Defendant Thomas and her boyfriend, ALEX CRAIG RYLANDER [DOB REDACTED] "Defendant Rylander" herein, at a parking lot in Hopkins, Hennepin County, Minnesota. Defendant Rylander examined the motorcycle, took it for a test drive and negotiated an agreed sale price of $1500.00 with the Victim.
Defendant Rylander informed Victim that Defendant Thomas will pay for the motorcycle through a Venmo payment. Victim provided Defendant Thomas via text message with his Venmo information for payment. Defendant Rylander informed Victim [NAME REDACTED] had sent the Venmo payment, but Defendant Thomas' phone died before receiving the payment conformation details but that they would send the Venmo receipt later. Victim allowed Defendants Thomas and Rylander to take the motorcycle pending the Venmo payment confirmation.
A few hours later, around 12:30 A.M., on 7/6/2025, Defendant Rylander messaged Victim asking if he got the payment, Victim responded to Defendant Rylander that he had not received payment through Venmo. Victim sent several follow up messages to Defendant Rylander asking if he was able to obtain the payment confirmation and to just send the payment or return the motorcycle. Defendant Rylander did not respond. Victim then reported the case to Hopkins Police on 7/6/2025. Police attempted to call Defendant Rylander at the phone number he used to communicate with Victim [NAME REDACTED]. Police left a voicemail and sent a text message advising Defendant Rylander to pay Victim [NAME REDACTED]. Police called and spoke with Defendant Thomas, and advised her that she needed to pay Victim [NAME REDACTED], to which Defendant Thomas responded, “ok.” Police later obtained Venmo records that showed that on 7/6/2025 at 8:44 P.M., Defendant Thomas sent $1,500.00 to a Venmo account listed to a similar name as the Victim but that that person returned the money with a message that the money was sent to the wrong person, at 11:16 P.M. On 7/16/2025, Defendant Thomas called Hopkins police and stated that the money she had sent over Venmo had been returned to her.
Police asked Defendant Thomas to pay Victim the money but Defendant Thomas said she had used the money and was refusing to pay Victim. It was later determined that Defendant Rylander fled from South St. Paul Police on 7/6/2025 around 11:41 P.M., on the stolen motorcycle. The motorcycle was recovered and was displaying a license plate that belonged to a different motorcycle and the VIN on the motorcycle had been scratched off. Defendant Rylander’s cell phone was found on the motorcycle.
