WALDORF, Md. — A Waldorf man has been charged with felony theft after authorities say he was found operating a vehicle reported stolen and valued at more than $25,000 during a traffic stop in Charles County.
Keith Mondell Baker, 40, of Waldorf, was charged with theft of property valued between $25,000 and $100,000 following a Jan. 24, 2026, traffic stop near the intersection of Middleton Road and Lexington Drive, according to court documents.
The investigation began when a law enforcement officer conducting speed enforcement observed a black Nissan Altima traveling at 60 mph in a posted 40-mph zone. The officer initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as Baker.
According to the statement of probable cause, a check of the vehicle’s identification number revealed the car had been reported stolen out of Virginia in October 2024. The vehicle was displaying a dealer registration tag that did not return to a valid dealership in Maryland.
Baker told officers he had purchased the vehicle for $2,000 the day before the stop and provided paperwork he claimed supported his ownership. Investigators reviewed the documents and determined they consisted largely of photocopies, including paperwork from another state’s motor vehicle agency, a salvage title application, and a temporary registration that did not match official records.
Court records state the paperwork listed a different individual as the purchaser and was not signed by any party recognized in Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration records. Investigators also determined the dealer tag affixed to the vehicle was a laminated photocopy and not an authentic Maryland dealer registration.
Authorities noted the estimated value of a comparable Nissan Altima in good condition was more than $25,000, significantly higher than the price Baker claimed to have paid. Based on the totality of the circumstances, officers concluded Baker knowingly possessed and operated a stolen motor vehicle and utilized fraudulent registration materials.
Baker was issued a criminal summons rather than being taken into custody. Court records show the summons was issued Jan. 31 and served Feb. 3.
A preliminary inquiry hearing is scheduled for March 23 at 9 a.m. in Charles District Court.
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“Baker was issued a criminal summons rather than being taken into custody”
JFC the man committed a felony and doesn’t even get booked.