A Jackson man tied to a mid-Michigan chop shop ring is now facing as much as 20 years behind bars, after investigators traced a string of summer 2023 vehicle thefts back to a hidden operation in Marshall.
Brendan McClure, 24, of Jackson, pleaded guilty on Jan. 29 to operating a chop shop and to receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, according to court records. Prosecutors say that the plea connects him to at least seven vehicle thefts in the summer of 2023 and to a chop shop that investigators located in Marshall. A co-defendant, Josiah Capetillo, was sentenced this week to serve between three and 20 years in prison for his role in the ring.
As reported by MLive, McClure admitted to one count of operating a chop shop and one count of receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, and court records show that other related charges were dismissed at sentencing. The report, published March 18, 2026, and written by Jordyn Pair, credits the Attorney General’s office for details of the probe.
Investigation and enforcement
The case drew in state-level teams that focus on organized vehicle theft rather than a single local crash unit. The Attorney General’s Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement Team and the Michigan State Police Southwest Auto Theft (SCAR) team were involved, and both operate as part of the Attorney General’s organized retail crime initiative. The Michigan Attorney General's Office describes that program and its role in coordinating prosecutions of chop shop operations.
Sentencing and what it means
At the recent hearing, Capetillo was ordered to serve between three and 20 years in prison, and court records show other counts were dismissed at that sentencing. MLive also reports McClure's Jan. 29 guilty plea and links the case to multiple summer 2023 vehicle thefts across the region.
Legal note
Operating a chop shop and receiving or concealing stolen motor vehicles are felony offenses under Michigan law, and penalties depend on the precise charges and any prior convictions. The state’s criminal code lays out the offenses and sentencing classifications prosecutors pursue in these cases. Michigan Compiled Laws provide the statutory framework that guides sentencing.
This case fits into a wider crackdown on organized auto theft across the state, as prosecutors and state police have brought multiple cases and secured multi-year sentences in recent months. Hoodline and Michigan Attorney General press releases outline related cases and the state's stepped-up enforcement.
