By James Stratton

MILWAUKEE (WISN) -- A Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is a "trophy" for most. The expensive SUV drives fast, is all-wheel drive and is loaded with horsepower.

Milwaukee police say Justin Powell posted on his Instagram, "this a trophy for me," with the wheel of a Trackhawk in early May.

Only problem is, the "trophy" wasn't his. Police and prosecutors say Powell stole it from an airport area hotel.

The high-performance SUV belongs to Frank Tragesser, a Florida man in Milwaukee visiting his fiancée.

"It's probably one of the quickest cars on the road because of that all-wheel drive," Traggeser said. "It's 707 horsepower stock."

Records show Milwaukee police found the vehicle the next day near a condo near 76th Street and Brown Deer Road.

"There's a million and one things going through your head when your car gets stolen," said Tragesser. "I've never had that happen before."

Police searched the condo, they say Powell's girlfriend lives there.

A search warrant says police found two key programmers, used by locksmiths to reprogram car keys legally. They also found, "over 15 key fobs," including one "... programmed to work with Tragesser's jeep."

Records show police arrested Powell. He faces a number of felony charges, including possessing firearms as a felon, taking and driving a vehicle without owner's consent, having a machine gun and drug charges.

12 News investigative reporter James Stratton went to the home where police searched and a woman who said she was Powell's girlfriend answered the door while talking to a man claiming to be Powell on the phone.

"That's not my residence bro," the man said when asked about the search and the key programmers police recovered. "I can't even tell you who they belong to."

At the time, Powell was in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail, the number displayed on the caller ID. He denied owning the Instagram account bragging about having Tragesser's jeep.

"They allege there's this car theft ring where people are stealing cars, scraping VINs, chopping cars, selling them for a profit. But, you tell me you're not any part of it?" Stratton asked.

"That *expletive* been going on before I was in jail and after I was in jail, bro," he responded. "As you interview me right now that *expletive* going on right now."

"But you're telling me you weren't apart of any of it?" Stratton asked.

"No," he responded.

Powell told WISN 12 News he's innocent.

Tragesser just wants his Jeep fixed, and returned. He said he's had difficulty getting it fixed properly and said he's had troubles dealing with his insurance company.

"It's been an awful situation all in all," he said. "I mean, what are you going to do? Things happen in life."

The high-tech way to steal cars is taking off across Milwaukee. Milwaukee police say they responded to 19 car thefts from key fob programmers in the first three months of the year. Court records say Nissan is now the second-most stolen vehicle in the city, and the key programmers are to blame.

Back in May, 12 News Investigates had a locksmith show how it works.

Thieves break a window, which is what happened to Tragesser's jeep. Then, they plug a key programmer into the car's on-board diagnostic (OBD) port. The port is located underneath a car's steering wheel near the gas and brake. Once plugged in, anyone can program a new key to the car and take off.

The vehicles stolen most appear to be from about 2007 to 2017, Honda, Nissan, Infiniti, Dodge, Chrysler, Lexus, and Toyota. Those vehicles don't have a wait time to start the vehicle after programming a new key.

Prosecutors say Powell told them he is the "middleman" of an alleged robbery crew.

"Powell stated his role was to share locations of sought after vehicles and then members of his crew would come to steal them by use of a key programmer," one of his criminal complaints state.

Powell, they allege, told them someone fixes the window and he facilitates the sale of stolen cars between thieves and potential buyers and take a cut.

"Powell stated they have guys that strictly send locations of cars, guys that steal/program the cars, guys that fix the window and detail the car, and guys to sell the vehicles," the complaint states.

Prosecutors say the investigation into the car theft ring continues and to expect more charges.

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