PUERTO RICAN CIVILIAN PLEADS GUILTY FOR CONSPIRING WITH POLICE OFFICERS TO ROB A HOME

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Friday, November 7, 2014

Civilian Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Corrupt Police Officers in July 2012 Robbery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico

A Puerto Rican man has pleaded guilty to conspiring with corrupt police officers to commit a July 2012 robbery of a home in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico.

Fernando Reyes-Rojas, 43, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2014, to violations of robbery, civil rights, narcotics, and firearms laws.  Reyes-Rojas is the sixth defendant convicted in connection with the July 2012 robbery.  Reyes-Rojas’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2015.

According to court documents, Reyes-Rojas, a civilian, agreed with at least three corrupt Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) officers and others to participate in a home robbery to steal money and narcotics.

On July 14, 2012, Reyes-Rojas joined the corrupt police officers and others in robbing a house in Bayamon.  The men entered the house, identified themselves as police, and falsely claimed they were executing a search warrant.  After searching the property and the people who were present, they stole money and cocaine.  Reyes-Rojas sold the cocaine and paid the officers for their role in the robbery.

The corrupt police officers and a second civilian previously pleaded guilty for their participation in the July 2012 robbery.  On Oct. 7, 2014, Jorge Fernandez-Aviles, 49, a POPR sergeant, pled guilty to robbery and firearms charges. On Oct. 3, 2014, David Figueroa, a civilian, pled guilty to robbery and civil rights charges.  Alexander Mir-Hernandez, 40, a POPR officer, also pleaded guilty to one count of false statements for lying to federal agents about his role in the July 2012 robbery and to a civil rights crime for an unrelated December 2013 robbery.  Sentencing for all three is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2015.  Pedro Lopez-Torres, 35, and Luis Ramos-Figueroa, 38, both POPR officers, were each charged by information on June 25, 2014, for their roles in the July 2012 robbery and other crimes.  Lopez- Torres and Ramos-Figueroa pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge José A. Fusté the same day.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Heidi Boutros Gesch and Brian Kidd of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mariana Bauza of the District of Puerto Rico.