Brainerd man charged after allegedly fleeing from stolen Kia in Ramsey County
Published: June 25th, 2026
SAINT PAUL MN: A Brainerd man is facing two felony charges after police allegedly found him driving a stolen Kia Sorento before he fled on foot in Ramsey County.
According to a criminal complaint, Patrick Michael Joyce, 46, is charged with two counts of Receiving Stolen Property – Motor Vehicle.
Prosecutors allege the owner reported a 2014 Kia Sorento stolen from the 1400 block of Carling Drive in St. Paul on June 20. The vehicle was valued at more than $6,000.
According to the complaint, investigators with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Carjacking and Auto Theft Unit located the Kia on June 23 near Edgerton Street and Cook Avenue. Joyce allegedly exited the driver's seat and ran when law enforcement moved in, but he was quickly arrested. Authorities also recovered the vehicle's key along the path where he fled, the complaint states.
During an interview, Joyce allegedly told investigators he received the Kia from a man he knew through narcotics use and claimed he did not know it was stolen. Prosecutors also allege Joyce acknowledged he had previously been arrested for stealing a vehicle.
The complaint notes prosecutors intend to introduce evidence of Joyce's prior auto theft convictions at trial. Court records cited in the filing show Joyce was convicted in separate auto theft cases in 2020 and 2023.
The allegations against Pfaff are contained in a criminal complaint. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.