The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) announced the arrest of a 19-year-old College Park man in connection with auto thefts from dealerships throughout Montgomery County.

According to MCPD: “Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division – Auto Crimes Unit (ACES) have charged 19-year-old Jefferson J. Ventura of College Park, MD with multiple counts of auto theft and related charges.

In April 2024, ACES investigators became aware of a series of vehicle thefts involving high-end General Motors and Mopar vehicles from dealerships throughout Montgomery County. Several personal vehicles were also targeted in these thefts.

With assistance from the Howard County, Baltimore County and Prince George’s County police departments, Ventura was identified as a suspect during the investigation.

On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Ventura charging him with the theft of five vehicles with a total estimated value of $185,064. He is charged with five counts of motor vehicle theft and other charges related to auto theft.

The warrant was served on August 7, 2024, while Ventura was already in custody at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit on multiple auto theft charges from neighboring jurisdictions. In addition, Ventura has a warrant for grand larceny out of North Carolina.”