SAN LEON — A local teenager is facing theft charges after detectives with the Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force recovered two stolen all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in separate locations across Galveston County.

According to a press release from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began on August 1 when the task force followed up on a report of a stolen Polaris ATV. Detectives tracked the vehicle to the 5300 block of FM 517 in San Leon, where they found 18-year-old Jeremy Sampsill Jr. in possession of the ATV.

During questioning, Sampsill admitted to having access to another stolen vehicle and cooperated with investigators, directing them to a second ATV. That vehicle was recovered in the 5300 block of 10th Street in Bacliff.

The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office has approved charges against Sampsill for Theft of Property valued between $2,500 and $30,000, and his bond was set at $20,000.

The Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force, which conducted the investigation, is a multi-agency unit funded by the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority. It includes officers from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, Galveston Police Department, La Marque Police Department, and the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

The task force works across jurisdictional lines to combat vehicle-related crimes through investigations, prevention programs, and support for other law enforcement agencies.