Search warrant at Florida scrap yard draws immigration rights activists; Man arrested on 5,000 counts

ROCKLEDGE, Fla. - The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a Rockledge scrapyard on Thursday, claiming the business was violating state law. 

The search warrant, executed on March 26, led to a massive seizure of property, the arrest of a man with over 5,000 charges and the arrest of 13 undocumented immigrants, the sheriff's office said. 

What we know:

The investigation centered on Scrappys Auto Salvage, located on Korbin Avenue in Rockledge. Immigration activists were tipped off the search could also have to do with immigration and showed up to document the large-scale operation.

According to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, the business, Scrappys, has been in violation of state law regarding the documentation of vehicles. Investigators say the establishment failed to fill out the required paperwork for vehicles they had on property, which ultimately prompted the search warrant.

Prior to the search warrant, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the suspect has over 3,000 felonies and over 5,000 total charges. The charges include stealing cars, fraud, racketeering and conspiracy to racketeer, among others. The investigation began in September 2025, the sheriff said. 

As a result of the criminal investigation, deputies seized a significant amount of equipment from the property, including tow trucks, flatbed trucks and heavy machinery. Nineteen stolen vehicles were found, the sheriff's office said. 

BCSO said the items were removed from the scene because they were tied to criminal investigations.

What our cameras captured

FOX 35 cameras were the only ones on scene as the operation unfolded.

Our crew captured footage of several people behind the business fence in zip ties being detained by deputies. A deportation officer was also on-site assisting with the operation.

An employee told FOX 35 everyone was questioned by law enforcement around 10:30 a.m. Some were told they could leave. Others had to stay inside at the business. 

By Thursday evening, deputies arrested Theodore "Teddy" Gross on several charges, including: 3,787 counts of failure to obtain a certificate of destruction, 1,578 counts of violation of derelict motor vehicle regulations, grand theft, scheme to defraud, operating a chop shop, dealing in stolen property, conspiracy to racketeer, maintaining racketeering property and using proceeds from racketeering, the sheriff's office said. 

Ivey said Gross wasn't properly vetting the vehicles and was creating fraudulent registrations. 

Gross is being held without bond. 

Immigration activists express concern

Immigration rights advocates arrived on the scene shortly after the raid began to monitor the situation.

Activists expressed concern over the collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies, while demanding answers from the deputies about the search warrant. The activists questioned if people were being detained based on their immigration status.

While executing the search warrant, Ivey said 13 illegal immigrants were working at the business – calling it a "petrie dish of illegal immigrants." The immigrants were from Afghanistan, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, Ivey reported. 

"We knew for a fact ever since January that DHS was among a huge push and moving eastward working out of the federal building in Orlando," Christopher Gibson, an organizer for the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance, told FOX 35. "We knew it was only a matter of time before they reached the coast here."