Press Release: Subject Arrested After Driving Stolen Car to Court
DATE/TIME: 3/24/2026 at 5:15 PM
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Subject Arrested After Driving to Court in Stolen Car Where He Was
Scheduled to Appear for a Pending Auto Theft Case
LOCATION: 240 Church Street, Salinas, California
MEDIA CONTACT: Andres Rosas, Commander Phone: 831-261-5492 Email: rosasae@countyofmonterey.gov
Members of the Multi-Agency Detail Combating Auto Theft (MADCAT) arrested a Soledad man Tuesday morning after observing him arrive at the Salinas Courthouse in a stolen vehicle.
On March 24, 2026, at approximately 11:00 a.m., MADCAT task force members observed Ricardo Otero, age 41, pull into the Salinas Courthouse parking area driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of San Jose. Deputies contacted Otero outside the courtroom where he was scheduled to appear for a pending auto theft case.
Otero was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Monterey County Jail. He was booked on the following charges:
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California Vehicle Code 10851(a) (Unlawful Driving or Taking of a Vehicle)
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Penal Code 12022 (Commission of a Felony While Released on Bail/Own Recognizance)
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California Vehicle Code 14601.1(a) (Driving With a Suspended License)