ARLINGTON, VA — Two Washington, D.C., residents — including a former Maryland police officer — are facing multiple felony charges after Arlington County police said a more than yearlong investigation uncovered an alleged scheme involving stolen vehicles, altered vehicle identification numbers and conspiracy.
Renaldo Santez Gaines, 35, is charged with grand larceny auto, possession of a vehicle with a removed or altered vehicle identification number (VIN), two counts of receiving stolen goods, two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and petit larceny. Sierra Laurin Alston, 33, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
The charges announced this month follow a series of earlier Arlington cases dating to 2024 and 2025 that prosecutors ultimately dismissed while detectives continued investigating.
According to police, the current investigation began at about 11:39 a.m. March 18, 2025, when an officer conducting extra patrols inside a parking garage in the 800 block of Army Navy Drive found a suspicious, unoccupied vehicle.
Investigators determined the vehicle had been stolen from Nevada and was displaying an altered VIN. Officers detained Gaines and Alston when they returned to the vehicle.
Police allege the subsequent investigation determined the pair conspired to steal vehicles, obtain stolen vehicles and alter VINs to conceal the vehicles' identities. Detectives also allege Alston, who was employed as a Maryland police officer at the time, improperly used law enforcement resources to assist Gaines in carrying out the theft and fraud scheme.
With assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the suspects were arrested in Washington, D.C., on July 23 before turning themselves in to Arlington County police on July 24.
Court records show Alston's involvement with Arlington prosecutors predates the March 2025 investigation.
She was arrested Oct. 7, 2024, and charged in three separate Arlington felony cases with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle stemming from alleged offenses on Feb. 18, 2024. Following several continuances, each case was dismissed through a nolle prosequi on March 13, 2025. Court records do not state why the charges were dismissed.
Gaines was arrested on March 18, 2025, following the Army Navy Drive incident and was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a vehicle with an altered VIN. Those two felony cases also were later dismissed through nolle prosequi after preliminary hearings on May 20, 2025. Court records likewise do not explain the reason for the dismissals.
Police said detectives continued investigating after the March 2025 incident and ultimately concluded Gaines and Alston had participated in a broader vehicle theft and fraud conspiracy.
In July 2026, investigators obtained new warrants charging Gaines with grand larceny auto, possession of a vehicle with an altered VIN, two counts of receiving stolen goods, two conspiracy counts and petit larceny. Alston was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and two conspiracy counts.
Court records show Gaines was formally charged July 27 and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled for preliminary hearings Sept. 28 in Arlington General District Court on the grand larceny charge, conspiracy charge involving an altered VIN and related felony counts.
Alston also is scheduled for preliminary hearings Sept. 28 in Arlington General District Court on the new felony charges.
The Arlington County Police Department said the investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department's Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or ACPDTipline@arlingtonva.us. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS.
Social Headline: Arlington Police File Expanded Charges In Auto Theft, VIN Fraud Probe
Email Headline: Arlington Investigation Leads To Expanded Auto Fraud Charges
Document Review: Reviewed the police release and all available 2024, 2025 and 2026 Arlington General District Court records. No factual discrepancies were found after incorporating the earlier court history. The court records establish the earlier cases and their dismissals but do not state why they were nolle prosequi or expressly link them to the 2026 prosecution, so the story avoids making that unsupported conclusion.
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