A man is facing federal charges after authorities say he was part of a burglary ring that used drones, GPS trackers, and a getaway car to track and steal valuables from businesses owned by Asian descent.
The man, Yoel Andres Barrera Garrido, 20, of New York, is a fugitive from justice. He was originally wanted in December 2023, and he has now been arrested and arraigned in multi-state custody.
Federal prosecutors say Barrera Garrido was part of a four-person team that primarily targeted business owners of Asian descent in their homes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Wisconsin, and Florida. The suspects are accused of identifying and surveilling business owners, then executing well-planned burglaries at their homes while the suspects were away.
Federal prosecutors say the suspects used drones and GPS trackers to monitor the movements of their targets, as well as drones and lookouts to monitor law enforcement activity. The suspects also had a getaway car and driver at the ready while other members of the ring broke into and burglarized the homes.
Barrera Garrido is currently being held in federal custody in Rhode Island. He is facing charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. The suspects are also awaiting sentencing for their crimes.
Read more from the Untied States Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island;
PROVIDENCE, RI – Yoel Andres Barrera Garrido, 20, of New York, a fugitive wanted since December 2023 for his alleged role in a sweeping, multi-state burglary ring that primarily targeted business owners of Asian descent has been arrested, arraigned, and ordered detained in federal custody, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Barrera Garrido, a Chilean national, was arrested in Grove City, OH, on March 11, 2024. He had been sought since December 13, 2023, when a federal indictment was returned against him; he was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment on April 3, 2024, charging him with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
It is alleged that Barrera Garrido participated in a conspiracy with three other individuals to identify and surveil business owners, typically of Asian descent, at the victims’ residences and businesses. Members of the conspiracy then allegedly executed well-planned burglaries at their victims’ homes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Wisconsin, and Florida, typically targeting large sums of money, jewelry, credit and debit cards, and other valuable items.
As alleged in charging documents, in addition to surveilling individuals, the conspirators used drones and GPS trackers placed on vehicles to monitor victim’s movement and identify times when they were away from their residences. They are also alleged to have used drones and lookouts to monitor law enforcement activity, and to have had a getaway car and driver at the ready while other conspirators broke into and burglarized the residences.
Barrera Garrido was ordered detained on Thursday following his return to Rhode Island and arraignment in U.S. District Court.
Other alleged members of the conspiracy, Mohammed Islam, 29, of Stamford, CT, a Bangladesh national, Basneyareth Rebollar Martinez, of Stamford, CT, a Mexican national, and Tania Valentina Espitia Cuellar, 24, a Columbian national whose local home address is unknown, have pleaded guilty in this matter and are detained while awaiting sentencing. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jorge Andres Cardenas Murillo, 30, of College Point, NY, was released on a GPS bracelet while awaiting trial on charges on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Julianne Klein.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Warwick and Smithfield, RI Police Departments; Shrewsbury and Framingham, MA Police Departments; Gorham, NH Police Department; Stamford, Wallingford, and Westport, CT Police Departments; West Allis, WI Police Department; New Castle County, DE Police Department; Manalapan, NJ Police Department; New York City Police Department; Jacksonville and Flagler County Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; Grove City OH Police Department; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.