TROY — A Rensselaer tow operator accused of using his company to steal cars and sell them to scrapyards is facing additional forgery charges.
John F. Rivers, 43, of East Greenbush, was indicted on two felony counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument on Oct. 2. An indictment shared by the state Attorney General’s Office accuses Rivers of having a fake Florida registration and dealer plates on May 29 on Hoosick Street. He was arraigned Oct. 6 in Rensselaer County Court, court officials said. He also appeared in court Oct. 14 and is due back Nov. 6 for charges filed last year.
Rivers was arrested in a separate case last December on 19 felony charges in total, including fourth-, third- and second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records and first-degree scheme to defraud. The Attorney General’s Office alleged that he used his company, Rivers Asset Recovery, to steal 17 vehicles over the course of two years. At the time, he chalked it up to paperwork errors. He was also accused of falsely indicating he owned a vehicle on a state Department of Motor Vehicles form…