Jorge Fernandez-Aviles, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Puerto Rico 2012

Puerto Rico Police Officers Charged in 2012 Robbery

Three Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) officers and two civilians were charged with federal crimes in connection with a July 2012 robbery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. A fourth POPR officer was charged with lying to federal agents.

According to court documents, the officers and civilians were involved in a robbery that took place on July 14, 2012. The indictment alleges that they conspired to commit robbery and civil rights violations, and that they possessed and distributed controlled substances.

Jorge Fernandez-Aviles, 48, Fernando Reyes-Rojas, 42, and David Figueroa-Rodríguez, 32, were charged in an indictment returned yesterday in the District of Puerto Rico with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit civil rights violations. Fernandez and Reyes were also charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances and one count of firearms possession.

Pedro Lopez-Torres, 35, and Luis Ramos-Figueroa, 38, were each charged by information on June 25, 2014, for their roles in the July 2012 robbery and other crimes. Lopez and Ramos pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge José A. Fusté of the District of Puerto Rico on the same day. The charges against them were unsealed today.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

According to the indictment, Reyes asked POPR Sergeant Fernandez and Officers Lopez and Ramos to participate in a robbery of a civilian. The officers agreed amongst themselves to participate. They further agreed that Officer Ramos would invite his cousin, Figueroa, to join them, and Officer Lopez would contact Officer Mir to borrow a marked patrol car to facilitate the planned robbery.

On July 14, 2012, Sergeant Fernandez, Officer Lopez, Officer Ramos, and Figueroa went to the airport where they picked up a marked patrol car from Officer Mir. They drove the patrol car to meet Reyes and then went together to the location of the robbery. Sergeant Fernandez, Officer Lopez, and Officer Ramos were dressed in dark-colored, tactical police gear and armed with their POPR-issued handguns. Figueroa and Reyes were also dressed in dark-colored clothing, and Reyes appeared to have a handgun as well.

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