Fugitive Yoel Andres Barrera Garrido Caught in Multi-State Burglary Ring

Fugitive Yoel Andres Barrera Garrido, 20, of New York, was arrested in Grove City, Ohio, on March 11, 2024, and ordered detained after being arraigned in a multi-state burglary ring that targeted business owners of Asian descent, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Barrera Garrido, a Chilean national, was 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.

Other alleged members of the conspiracy, Mohammed Islam, 29, of Stamford, Connecticut, a Bangladesh national, Basneyareth Rebollar Martinez, of Stamford, Connecticut, a Mexican national, and Tania Valentina Espitia Cuellar, 24, a Colombian national whose local home address is unknown, have pleaded guilty in this matter and are detained while awaiting sentencing. Jorge Andres Cardenas Murillo, 30, of College Point, New York, was released on a GPS bracelet while awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.

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 local and state law enforcement agencies. Barrera Garrido’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.