Jackson Man Sentenced in Michigan Car Theft Ring

Josiah Capetillo pleaded guilty to running a multi-city vehicle theft operation.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 11:05am

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A 24-year-old Jackson man named Josiah Capetillo has been sentenced to 3 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to conducting a criminal enterprise involving the theft of vehicles across Michigan in 2023, including from locations like Chrysler's Chelsea Proving Grounds and FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek. Capetillo's co-defendant also ran a chop shop out of a barn in Marshall, Michigan where the stolen vehicles were dismantled and sold piece-by-piece.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of organized vehicle theft rings in Michigan, which not only result in significant property losses but also raise public safety concerns. The coordinated efforts between the Michigan Attorney General's FORCE team and Michigan State Police to crack down on these criminal enterprises send a strong message that such activities will be aggressively prosecuted.

The details

Prosecutors say Capetillo was tied to seven vehicle thefts across Michigan in 2023, hitting locations that weren't exactly "easy targets," including Chrysler's Chelsea Proving Grounds, FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, and multiple dealerships across the state. The playbook was to steal vehicles, flip them for profit, and repeat. Capetillo's co-defendant ran a chop shop out of a barn in Marshall, where the stolen vehicles were dismantled and sold part-by-part.

  • In 2023, Capetillo was involved in seven vehicle thefts across Michigan.

The players

Josiah Capetillo

A 24-year-old Jackson man who pleaded guilty to conducting a criminal enterprise involving the theft of vehicles across Michigan.

Michigan Attorney General's FORCE (Fraud and Organized Crime Enforcement) Team

A team that worked with Michigan State Police to crack down on Capetillo's organized vehicle theft ring.

Michigan State Police (MSP) auto theft investigators

Investigators who worked with the Michigan Attorney General's FORCE team to investigate and crack down on Capetillo's organized vehicle theft ring.

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What’s next

Capetillo is headed to prison, while his co-defendant is scheduled for sentencing in April. Michigan officials have made it clear they will continue to aggressively prosecute organized theft operations that threaten public safety.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing problem of organized vehicle theft rings in Michigan and the coordinated efforts by law enforcement to crack down on these criminal enterprises, which not only result in significant property losses but also raise public safety concerns.