Jose A. Montes, Interstate Theft, Rhode Island 2020

PROVIDENCE – In a shocking turn of events, José A. Montes, a 36-year-old Cranston man, pleaded guilty to leading a nine-person conspiracy to steal heavy construction equipment, sport boats, jet skis, all-terrain vehicles, and trailers, valued at nearly $700,000, in a four-state scheme.

According to court documents, Montes, aka José Rivera, aka “Tuto”, led the group of individuals that broke into businesses in four New England states, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, to steal three Bobcat excavators, ten jet skis, three boats, eight all-terrain vehicles, and fourteen trailers.

The investigation into the stolen items was launched by the Johnston Police and North Providence Police, and joined by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and merged with a parallel investigation by Rhode Island State Police, Connecticut State Police, Easton Police Department, and Hampstead Police Department.

Montes admitted to personally participating in several break-ins, including the October 22 and 23, 2019, break-in of a Rehoboth, MA, business and the theft of four jet skis and two trailers valued at approximately $64,000. Two of the watercrafts were later recovered in Cranston by Cranston Police.

Montes also admitted to participating in the November 18, 2019, break-in at a South Kingstown marina and the theft of a sport boat and trailer valued at $30,000. The boat and trailer were later recovered by law enforcement in Sarasota, FL.

Montes pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and eight counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus. Montes is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2021.

The stolen items, valued at nearly $700,000, include three Bobcat excavators, ten jet skis, three boats, eight all-terrain vehicles, and fourteen trailers. Montes faces significant prison time and fines for his role in the interstate theft scheme.

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