Bernard Díaz-Pérez, 3 Carjackings, Puerto Rico 2017

A Puerto Rico man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in three carjackings, including a sexual assault, announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.

San Juan resident Bernard Díaz-Pérez, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Francisco A. Besosa on February 28, 2017, after pleading guilty to the three carjackings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the carjackings, which occurred on June 2, 2016, May 15, 2016, and May 27, 2016.

According to court documents, Díaz-Pérez and co-conspirator Jessenia Salgado-Ortiz, aided and abetted each other, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm, took a motor vehicle, a red 2008 Scion XD, from the presence of F.N.R. and another female friend. During the carjacking, Díaz-Pérez sexually assaulted one of the victims.

The victims were forced to move to the front passenger seat and then Díaz-Pérez started to drive away from the location. The victims had to jump from the moving vehicle in order to escape the carjacking.

Díaz-Pérez was also sentenced for the two other carjackings, which occurred on May 15 and 27, 2016. During both incidents, Diaz-Pérez forced the victims out of the cars using threats and a replica gun.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Pérez Bouret.

Jessenia Salgado-Ortiz, Díaz-Pérez’s co-conspirator, also pleaded guilty on February 28, 2017. She was sentenced on August 8, 2017, to 71 months in prison.