David Méndez-Calderón was behind the counter at Piezas Importadas Inc. in Carolina, Puerto Rico, when two men stormed in on April 3, 2012. Without warning, Juan E. Seary-Colón, a.k.a. ‘Ricky Diablo,’ opened fire, killing the manager instantly. The robbery netted the attackers roughly $1,000 in cash stolen from employees—but the real cost was measured in blood.
After a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Seary-Colón on charges of Hobbs Act robbery and murder, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. The verdict closes a six-year chapter in a case that exposed the brutal randomness of street violence. Seary-Colón was also found guilty of possession and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
The prosecution laid out a damning case: eyewitnesses identified Seary-Colón and an accomplice entering the auto parts store in broad daylight, executing the robbery with cold precision. One witness recounted how Méndez-Calderón raised his hands before being shot. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence backed the testimonies, sealing Seary-Colón’s fate in court.
Arrested by the Puerto Rico Police Department on April 6, 2012—just days after the murder—Seary-Colón has remained in custody since. The FBI and PRPD jointly led the investigation, piecing together a timeline that left no doubt about his role. Federal prosecutors, determined to deliver justice, moved swiftly to convict under federal jurisdiction due to the interstate commerce element of the Hobbs Act.
‘I hope that this conviction will help Mr. Méndez-Calderón’s family find some closure,’ said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. ‘We will continue to work diligently to prosecute violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law. Senseless acts of violence which threaten our communities and innocent victims will not be tolerated.’
Sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Cannon and Scott Anderson prosecuted the case. Seary-Colón now faces life in federal prison for a crime that shattered a family and stained a quiet corner of Carolina, Puerto Rico, forever.
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Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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