Jonathan Torres-Rojas, Conspiracy to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Puerto Rico 2024

Hobbs Act Robbery Rocks Orocovis

A federal jury in Puerto Rico has convicted Jonathan Torres-Rojas of Conspiracy to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Interference with Commerce by Robbery in a case that left a local business owner dead. The sentencing hearing for Torres-Rojas is scheduled for December 6, 2024, at 9:00 AM.

On June 12, 2015, the defendant and others hatched a plan to rob the business El Rejón del Gallo in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. That evening, Torres-Rojas and his accomplices arrived at the business wearing black long-sleeved clothing, face masks, and carrying firearms. The assailants demanded money from the owner and his wife, but their greed knew no bounds, resulting in the death of José Antonio Medina Meléndez, the owner of El Rejón del Gallo.

According to court documents, Torres-Rojas and his accomplices also demanded the keys to a 2001 gray Toyota Sequoia and, after being given the keys, two shots were fired, killing the business owner. The FBI is still investigating the case, which has left the community in shock and outrage.

The co-defendant in this case, Juan A. Negrón-Rodríguez, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2024 for interference with commerce by robbery and carjacking resulting in death. On July 9, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé sentenced Negrón-Rodríguez to 22 years (264 months) in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

The case was announced by U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez Lora.

The conviction of Jonathan Torres-Rojas is a significant blow to organized crime in Puerto Rico, and the community is left to wonder what other secrets will be uncovered as the investigation continues.

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