Juan Carlos Pagán Bonilla, Carjacking, Puerto Rico 2020

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Table of Contents

Carjacking Suspects Charged in Violent Crime

San Juan, P.R. – In a shocking turn of events, Juan Carlos Pagán Bonilla, 21, and Sean Díaz de León, 19, were charged via indictment in the Federal District Court of Puerto Rico with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in the death of two transgender women.

The indictment alleges that on April 22, 2020, the Puerto Rico Police Department was informed of a vehicle on fire in Humacao, Puerto Rico. When POPR officers responded to the area, they found two charred bodies inside the vehicle. The families of the individuals identified in the indictment as S.A.V.R. (“Victim 1”) and L.P.S. (“Victim 2”) reported that they had gone missing and mentioned a Snapchat video on social media that shows both victims socializing with two subjects the night before.

According to the investigation and intelligence received by POPR, the two men seen in the Snapchat video with the victims are Díaz and Pagán. On April 28, 2020, POPR arrested Pagán at his residence. According to the information obtained, the suspects decided to kill the two women after discovering they were transgender.

“Crimes of hate are especially reprehensible due to the effects they have on victims, their families, the communities that constantly suffer from discrimination based on their gender or sexual orientation, and our people in general,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “That’s why the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to using all tools at its disposal to combat crimes motivated by this kind of intolerance.”

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is urged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5342).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office requested the immediate detention of the accused. U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras, Senior Litigation Counsel Rose Gibson, and Civil Rights Division Attorney Laura Gilson are handling the case. Each charge carries a possible sentence of death or life in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI and POPR are working together to ensure that Puerto Rico is a safe place for everyone.