New York Attorney General Letitia James and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch say five men are facing a slew of charges for allegedly operating a car theft ring across multiple states, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey and Westchester. The stolen cars were sold in the Bronx and New Jersey.
The investigation, led by the AG’s Organized Crime Task Force, recovered over 40 vehicles. totaling over $1 million. Raulin Rodriguez, Jender Santos-Ulloa, Josue Dejesus Gonzalez, Juan Tavarez Cabrera and Jonathan Mercedes Silvestre are charged with 92 crimes.
Officials say the takedown resulted from a year-long investigation, beginning in February 2025, led by the OCTF and the NYPD’s Bronx Auto Crime Unit.
The vehicles recovered include Hondas, Toyotas, Acuras and Lexus models.
“A stolen car can completely upend a family’s life, making it harder to get to school, work, and do essential errands,” said AG James. “This investigation stopped a far-reaching criminal operation that sold dozens of stolen cars across New York and New Jersey. I thank the NYPD and our partners in law enforcement for their work to stop this criminal operation and protect our communities.”
“To criminals who traffic in stolen vehicles, our message is clear: the NYPD will find you and hold you accountable,” said Commissioner Tisch. “The five individuals charged in this case were part of a crime ring responsible for stealing more than 40 vehicles valued at more than one million dollars. This year-long joint investigation spanned multiple jurisdictions across two states – and led to the dismantling of this criminal operation and recovery of the stolen vehicles. I applaud our NYPD detectives and the Attorney General’s Office for their tireless efforts on this case.”
The men each face up to 15 years behind bars if convicted.