Three individuals have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a series of high-performance vehicle thefts across nine California counties. The California Attorney General’s Office announced that Jesse Venegas, Nathan Olivas, and Christopher Anderson participated in 13 vehicle thefts or attempted thefts between July 2023 and March 2024. The targeted vehicles included Dodge Chargers and Challengers, which were stolen for resale or use in street takeovers. The thefts took place in El Dorado, Kings, Monterey, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, and Tulare counties.
“At the California Department of Justice, we are fighting organized crime in the field and in the courtroom,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As today’s sentencing is testament to, we will not tolerate theft that endangers our communities. I am thankful for strong partnerships with local law enforcement that make California a safer place to live and work. When we work together, we get results.”
An investigation led by the Visalia Police Department revealed that the defendants were also involved in operating a chop shop. The total value of the vehicles stolen was estimated at $600,000. On May 12, 2025, all three pled guilty in El Dorado Superior Court and agreed to restitution payments. Each defendant admitted to one count of operating a chop shop; Venegas also pled to four counts of vehicle theft while Olivas and Anderson each pled to one additional count.
Venegas received a sentence of four years and eight months; Olivas was sentenced to two years and eight months; Anderson received two years. All sentences will be served under PC 1170(h) provisions.
The Special Prosecution Section at the California Department of Justice investigates complex criminal cases including financial crimes such as securities fraud and tax evasion as well as public corruption cases involving violations of state law.
A copy of the criminal complaint can be found here.
