ELIZABETHTOWN, KY — A Louisville teen, Kalei Kenneth Copley, 19, has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in an auto theft ring following an October 23 traffic stop by Kentucky State Police (KSP). Copley was stopped by law enforcement along East Dixie Avenue in Elizabethtown while driving a 2016 Chrysler 300. However, further investigation revealed the vehicle contained parts and components associated with stolen vehicles, leading to his arrest.
According to the arrest warrant, Copley was driving a Chrysler 300 with a mismatched engine. The car was originally manufactured with a 3.6L V6 motor, but the engine in the car Copley was driving was a 6.4L V8, the type of motor that had been reported stolen in a string of thefts. The KSP trooper also noted the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, prompting a search that uncovered evidence of tampering. The vehicle showed signs of being disassembled and reassembled, with parts such as the steering wheel being replaced with a different model.
The Chrysler 300 was impounded for further examination, and upon investigation, KSP auto theft detectives determined that the engine belonged to a 2016 Dodge Charger. The engine, which had been stolen from the Louisville International Airport in January 2024, was traced back to a vehicle that had been reported as stolen. The car’s original body was found abandoned in early February 2024, minus the engine and all body panels.
The stolen Dodge Charger, which had an estimated value of nearly $40,000, was part of a broader auto theft operation. Copley is now facing serious charges, including receiving stolen property valued at $10,000 or more, obscuring the identity of a machine, and probation violation related to a prior felony offense. A cash bond of $75,000 has been set for his release.
In addition to these charges, Copley is also linked to a separate car theft case involving a stolen Dodge Charger from the Nashville International Airport. In April 2024, the driver of the stolen Charger, Hussein Abdullah Al-Asoum, led police on a high-speed chase on Interstate 65. Copley, who was a passenger in the vehicle, has been indicted in connection with that incident. He faces charges of receiving stolen property, fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle, and involvement in an organized crime syndicate.
Copley is currently being held at the Hardin County Detention Center while awaiting further court proceedings.
