CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WHKY) — A Charlotte man who helped lead a sophisticated auto theft ring that stole millions of dollars in luxury vehicles from dealerships across the country has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison. The crime ring resulted in the theft of more than 100 high-end vehicles from 15 different states and the vehicles were sold in Iredell, Gaston and Mecklenburg counties.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, 27-year-old Hosea Fernandez Hampton was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Hampton previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport, possess and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, along with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Federal prosecutors say Hampton and his co-conspirators targeted luxury dealerships in 14 states between 2021 and 2023, stealing at least 82 vehicles worth nearly $5.9 million. The theft ring focused on high-end brands including Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Land Rover, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

Investigators say the group posed as customers during test drives, switched key fobs, stole keys from lock-boxes and, in some cases, broke into dealerships to steal multiple vehicles at once. Authorities say the stolen vehicles were transported to Charlotte, where GPS tracking systems and vehicle identification numbers were altered before the vehicles were sold.

During a traffic stop in Flagler County, Florida, Hampton was found driving a stolen BMW M5 that had been taken from a Wilmington dealership. Investigators recovered numerous vehicle key fobs and a Glock handgun from inside the vehicle.

Four co-defendants have also been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and several other law enforcement agencies.

This story was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.