Two Cedartown men rounded up during a series of raids last fall after a multi-agency investigation into a Polk County car-theft ring have been indicted in federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Johnny Lee Summerville, 60, of Cedartown, and who owns an auto salvage yard on Collard Valley Road, and former Polk County Commissioner Michael A. Hooper, 48, of Cedartown, appeared for their arraignment Thursday before United States Magistrate Judge Walter E. Johnson. Their arraignment comes after both were indicted by a federal grand jury May 18, according to the press release.

Summerville faces federal charges of operating a chop shop, removing and altering vehicle identification numbers (VIN), possession of a stolen Caterillar tractor and possession of the drug hydrocodone with intent to distribute.

Federal charges against Hooper include insurance fraud. Law enforcement officials believe Hooper falsely reported a theft of his rollback wrecker and then filed an insurance claim on the theft.

Both men have been released pending trial.

Officials believe Summerville operated a “chop shop” between January, 2001 until October 6, 2009. An investigation indicates, according to evidence presented for indictment, that Summerville removed VIN numbers on at least three vehicles and also possessed a stolen Caterpillar tractor with knowledge that it was stolen.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also alleges that Summerville possessed hydrocodone with intentions of distributing it on two occasions.

Summerville faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted of operating a chop shop. He faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge of removing or altering a VIN number and 10 years with a $250,000 fine on each charge of knowingly possessing a vehicle with an altered VIN number, as well as the stolen tractor charge.

Hooper faces three counts of using the mail or interstate wire transmission for insurance fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

“The federal indictments brought against Summerville and Hooper bring to six the number of Polk County residents and former residents who have been charged with federal offenses that were brought to light during an 18-month undercover investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement authorities,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.

The other cases already charged in federal court include:

●Kenneth Lane Gravett, a former Polk County police officer who pleaded guilty to insurance fraud after he falsely reported that his Harley Davidson motorcycle had been stolen and then tried to collect insurance proceeds on the motorcycle.

Gravett was sentenced on Jan. 28, 2010, to serve 10 months in home confinement and five years on federal probation. He was also ordered to pay $12,517.02 in restitution.

●Justin Matthew Dawson, a former City of Acworth police officer who pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents during the investigation. He was sentenced May 5, 2010, to one-year probation.

Because both Gravett and Dawson were convicted of felony offenses, they have lost their certifications with the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council of Georgia, and can no longer obtain employment as law enforcement officers in this state.

●Michael Stephen Robinson, a former Polk County Deputy Sheriff, has been indicted on charges that he aided and abetted Gravett in committing insurance fraud, illegally possessing a rifle with a sawed off barrel, and possessing a motor vehicle with an altered VIN. Robinson is scheduled for trial on July 17, 2010, before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Vining, Jr.

●Mark Anthony Sparks, a Polk County police officer, is charged with operating a chop shop, possessing motor vehicles with altered and/or removed VINs, and obstructing the joint investigation. Sparks’ trial date has not yet been set.

Those conducting the investigation included law enforcement officers with the FBI, the Polk County Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Bartow County Drug Task Force.