OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Two men from Indiana are facing multiple charges as of May 20 following an investigation into stolen pontoon boat sales in Ottawa County.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) arrested 42-year-old Lance Holland and 29-year-old Ceandra Jackson on May 17 on charges related to the sale of stolen boats.
Detectives uncovered the sale of two stolen boats to a Jamestown Township area man who unknowingly purchased them online earlier this month.
OCSO said that the pontoon boats were stolen from dealerships in Kentucky and Alabama.
After the initial sale, investigators then learned that the suspects were allegedly taking two more stolen boats to Ottawa County.
Court documents from the 58th District Court in Ottawa County detail how the two men stole the boats.
OCSO Detective Cieslinski said the victim contacted them on May 10 after he determined two pontoon boats, trailers and motors he'd purchased from Holland on Facebook were stolen out of a marina in Alabama and a marina in Kentucky.
Cieslinski said he contacted the Cullman County, Alabama Sheriff's Office and received their report stating the first boat, a 24-foot Sweetwater pontoon boat, was stolen from Russell Marine.
He also confirmed with the Leitchfield, Kentucky Police Department that a 2024 Avalon pontoon was stolen from Renegade Marine.
Cieslinski said Holland had two more boats, both Regency pontoons, also listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. He said these two boats matched the description of two Regency pontoons stolen from Leitchfield Marina.
Cieslinksi said through surveillance footage, he determined a vehicle that was caught on camera stealing the boats was confirmed to be Holland's. The license plate on the vehicle is also registered to Holland's mother.
He said on Friday, May 17 Holland and Jackson took the additional two Regency pontoon boats to the victim's address in the Jamestown Township area as a delivery.
Here, OSCO deputies arrested Holland and Jackson and recovered the two stolen pontoon boats.
Cieslinski said both of the boats had false hull identification numbers posted on them. The hidden, real hull identification numbers matched the Regency pontoon boats stolen out of Leitchfield, Kentucky.
He said a second vehicle, which Jackson used to drop the boats off at the victim's house, was seen on video at Leitchfield Marina.
Cieslinski said the victim told him the first boat he purchased from Holland, at a discount of tens of thousands of dollars, was said to be a "buddy's divorce boat."
The victim said he was told by Holland that his "buddy," who was indicated to be Jackson, was selling the second boat because he wanted a wake boat.
Cieslinski said Jackson admitted to making the deliveries of the boats but denied knowing that the boats were stolen. He said Jackson told them he was receiving $1,000 to $1,200 to drive boats.
Cieslinski said Holland received $75,000 in cash from the victim for the boats.
According to Cieslinski, both Holland and Jackson have been involved in incidents before.
He said in 2018, Holland stole lawnmowers from a dealership and resold them in a similar way to which he's been charged with stealing boats.
He also said Jackson has a violent criminal history, including robbery and robbery causing injury.
Currently, Holland is facing charges of:
- Four counts of Receiving and Concealing Stolen property over $20,000
- Two counts of False Pretenses over $50,000
- Two counts of False Pretenses over $20,000
Jackson is facing charges of:
- Two counts of Receiving and Concealing Stolen property over $20,000
- Two counts of False Pretenses over $50,000
Both men were arraigned in 58th District Court on May 20. Holland and Jackson are being held in the Ottawa County Jail with bonds of $150,000 cash/surety and $100,000 cash/surety, respectively.
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