Florida authorities arrested five suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in connection with a string of retail thefts, and one of the suspects was seen sobbing during his interview with law enforcement.
Alexis Jose Rodriguez-Benavides, Darwins Smith Vasquez-Leon, Ildemaro Miguel Escalona Mendoza, Ramon Jesus Carpintero-Luna and Samuel Oglis David Anthony Charlie are facing charges for organized retail theft and robbery. Investigators are also working to add racketeering charges, according to Fox 13.
The five suspects are all in the U.S. without authorization.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd shared an image at a news conference of Carpintero-Luna appearing to be sobbing while being interviewed by investigators.
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Judd said the investigation into the retail crimes began in October, when Publix reported that a series of high-end liquor items were being stolen from stores in Central Florida. Walmart and Sam’s Club made similar reports of thefts at their stores.
Investigators reported 32 theft and robbery cases in Polk County alone.
The incident that helped investigators bust the suspects happened last month at a Sam’s Club in Lakeland, where the suspects attempted to steal a shopping cart filled with $3,200 worth of liquor, according to the sheriff.
In that incident, the suspects injured a female worker who grabbed the cart in an effort to stop them, Judd said. The group left for a car that they then crashed in the parking lot before escaping in an Uber.
Investigators searched the car and found stolen liquor, cellphones and a passport.
After identifying the suspects, law enforcement learned that two of the men were already in custody for a different robbery in Osceola County. The other three suspects were arrested Thursday night.
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“I can tell you that this violent gang was alive and well in Central Florida,” Judd said at the news conference, referring to Tren de Aragua.
The sheriff said the suspects face enhanced charges due to their immigration status, as he railed against people he described as “criminal illegal aliens.”
“They are tormenting and terrorizing and stealing and robbing and murdering people,” Judd said.