The Washington, D.C., area car theft case centered on a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday, charging six people in an alleged conspiracy to steal vehicles and sell them to buyers in the United States and in Ghana, West Africa. The indictment, described by the U.S. attorney’s office of Jeanine Pirro in a news release, followed what prosecutors said was a yearlong investigation into a car-theft ring operating across the District and parts of Maryland.
Prosecutors said investigators suspect members of the ring stole more than 100 cars in the District of Columbia and more than 30 more in Maryland’s Prince George’s County. The indictment alleges the group targeted at least 20 cars from the Washington area for resale, with the conspiracy extending beyond local markets.
According to Pirro’s office, investigators allege the ring used devices that allowed them to reprogram cars so they would accept blank key fobs. Prosecutors said stolen vehicles were taken to a Washington parking garage where suspects swapped their license plates, obscured vehicle identification numbers, and disabled security features before moving the cars for sale.
The charges include a conspiracy to possess, sell and transport stolen motor vehicles, federal authorities said. The defendants named in the indictment are Jacob Hernandez, 29, of Los Angeles; Dustin Wetzel, 23, of Woodbridge, Virginia; James Young, 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland; Khobe David, 24, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and Chance Clark, 25, of Waldorf, Maryland.
Prosecutors said Pirro’s office did not immediately release the name of a sixth defendant, who remained at large as the indictment was unsealed. Authorities also carried out searches in connection with the case, including on Tuesday at an automobile storage facility in Decatur, Georgia, which prosecutors said they believe was linked to the ring.
The allegations underscore the role specialized equipment can play in car theft schemes and how investigators look for patterns that connect local thefts to broader resale operations. For now, the indictment outlines what prosecutors say the defendants did, while the case remains pending in federal court.