Jose Medina Gets 30 Months for $480K Interstate Burglary Spree

Jose Medina, 40, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is headed to federal prison for 30 months after admitting his role in a violent, cross-state burglary ring that ripped off more than $480,000 from businesses in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The sentencing, handed down today in Trenton federal court, marks the end of a two-year crime spree that left shattered safes and gutted stores in its wake.

Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and one count of actual transportation of stolen goods across state lines. U.S. District Judge Mary L. Cooper, overseeing the case, also ordered Medina to serve two years of supervised release and forfeit $487,364.44 — every dollar the crew stole, plus interest. The loot came from at least 22 break-ins between October 2012 and August 2014.

According to court documents, Medina worked alongside his brother, Eliezer Medina, 38, of Ronks, Pennsylvania, and a network of accomplices who scouted stores, disabled alarm systems, and used pry bars and electric saws to crack safes and vaults. Their targets were cash-heavy businesses—convenience stores, gas stations, and retail outlets—chosen for maximum payout and minimal resistance.

The operation was methodical and cold. The crew moved swiftly across state lines, stashing stolen money and tools in getaway vehicles before vanishing into the night. Investigators say the interstate nature of the crimes allowed the gang to stay one step ahead of local law enforcement, exploiting jurisdictional gaps until the FBI stepped in.

Eliezer Medina copped a plea in October 2015 and was hit with the same 30-month sentence. Federal prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Wangenheim of the Criminal Division in Newark, painted the brothers as key architects of the scheme. Defense counsel Angelo Servidio, Esq. represented Jose Medina throughout the proceedings.

The FBI’s Newark and Philadelphia field offices led the investigation, with critical support from police departments in Paramus, Wayne, and Pennsauken Township, New Jersey; the N.J. State Police; and multiple Pennsylvania agencies, including Lancaster City, East Lampert, Manor Township, Manheim Township, and East Hempfield. U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman praised the interagency cooperation that brought the Medina brothers to justice.