Dayton, Ohio – Two 18-year-old men have been sentenced to prison following a months-long investigation into a series of vehicle thefts, burglaries and other crimes across Montgomery County, Ohio.
Kristian Cochran, 18, of Harrison Township, received a seven-year prison sentence, with a potential maximum of nine years under Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Act. Damion Gay, 18, of Dayton, was sentenced to two years behind bars, with a possible maximum of three years under the same law.
The sentences followed an investigation conducted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit and detectives assigned to the Washington Township Substation.
Authorities connected the defendants to criminal activity involving stolen vehicles and a burglary in Washington Township. Investigators also identified additional vehicle thefts in several Montgomery County communities.
Investigation begins with multiple vehicle thefts in Washington Township
The investigation began on the morning of April 2, 2026, when detectives responded to reports that two vehicles had been stolen in Washington Township.
As officers gathered information, they developed probable cause to believe Cochran and Gay were involved in four vehicle thefts that occurred that morning.
Deputies from the Harrison Township Substation joined the investigation and helped recover three of the four stolen vehicles within hours.
However, the investigation did not end with those recoveries.
On April 5, 2026, Cochran was identified as the driver of another stolen vehicle, this time originating from Warren County.
Later that day, Harrison Township deputies attempted to stop him on North Main Street.
According to investigators, Cochran refused to comply with the attempted traffic stop.
The incident resulted in additional criminal proceedings. On April 24, 2026, Cochran was indicted on charges of Failure to Comply and Receiving Stolen Property.
Meanwhile, detectives continued examining other incidents that could be connected to the suspects.
Nine search warrants help investigators uncover additional criminal activity
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit and Washington Township Substation detectives carried out a detailed investigation that included executing nine search warrants and examining physical evidence.
Their work produced additional evidence connecting Cochran and Gay to a burglary that occurred in Washington Township on April 13, 2026.
Investigators also identified Cochran as a suspect in several other vehicle thefts throughout Montgomery County.
Those incidents occurred between March 24 and June 3, 2026, and involved Butler Township, Clayton, Kettering and Riverside.
The findings showed that the investigation extended beyond the initial vehicle theft reports in Washington Township.
Detectives continued gathering evidence across the different locations before the case moved forward through the court system.
On August 11, 2026, a Montgomery County grand jury indicted both men.
Cochran faced numerous charges, including Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle), Grand Theft (Firearm), Having Weapons Under Disability, Burglary, Attempted Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle), Possession of Criminal Tools and Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity.
Gay was indicted on charges of Burglary, Attempted Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle) and Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity.
The charges reflected the different levels of alleged involvement identified during the investigation.
Both defendants plead guilty and receive prison sentences
The court proceedings against Gay reached a resolution first.
On October 14, 2026, Gay pleaded guilty to Burglary.
He was sentenced that same day to two years in prison, with a potential maximum sentence of three years under the Reagan Tokes Act.
Cochran’s case continued into November.
On November 4, 2026, he pleaded guilty to several offenses connected to the investigation.
His guilty pleas included Burglary, Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, Having Weapons Under Disability, four counts of Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle), two counts of Receiving Stolen Property (Motor Vehicle) and Failure to Comply with the Order or Signal of a Police Officer.
Six days later, on November 10, 2026, Cochran received a seven-year prison sentence.
Under the Reagan Tokes Act, his potential maximum prison term is nine years.
The sentences marked the conclusion of the criminal proceedings described against the two adult defendants following the investigation into vehicle thefts and related offenses.
Juvenile also pleads guilty to three burglaries
The investigation uncovered additional criminal activity involving a juvenile.
Although the juvenile was not charged as a co-defendant alongside Cochran and Gay, detectives developed evidence connecting the young person to three separate burglaries.
Two of those incidents occurred in Harrison Township, while the third took place in Washington Township.
The juvenile subsequently faced charges related to all three burglaries.
According to the sheriff’s office, the juvenile has pleaded guilty to each offense but has not yet been sentenced.
The sentencing hearing remains pending.
The broader investigation involved several Montgomery County communities and required coordination between the Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit and Washington Township and Harrison Township deputies.
Through the recovery of stolen vehicles, execution of nine search warrants and examination of physical evidence, investigators developed cases that resulted in guilty pleas and prison sentences for both adult defendants.
While Cochran and Gay have received their sentences, the related juvenile case remains open for sentencing following the guilty pleas to three burglaries.
