GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced John Sebastian Quintero-Herrera, a Colombian national, to serve 70 months in prison. Quintero-Herrera was the leader of a multi-state burglary ring involving six other defendants. All the defendants were in the United States illegally. Quintero-Herrera subsequently pled guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and was the last defendant to be sentenced, with the exception of one additional defendant who has evaded custody thus far.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering expressed dismay over the defendant’s conduct in operating a large-scale burglary operation that spanned most of the continental United States. She described the defendants’ sophisticated operation as “Ocean’s Eleven-style conduct” while being “downright cruel.” When describing how Quintero-Herrera and his co-defendants behaved, Judge Beckering described the burglaries as leaving behind “ransacked houses” producing a “bone-chilling” effect on homeowners. All of this caused the court to exceed the sentence recommended for ordinary theft offenses.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This case represents another example of why we are so alarmed by illegal immigration into the United States. When these people sneaked into our country, they weren’t looking for a chance to get a job. Their idea of a better life was to set up a burglary operation targeting the homes of people all over the United States. These professional burglars made over $1,500,000 breaking into people’s homes, but perhaps the most precious thing they stole from their victims was their sense of security and safety. I salute law enforcement’s ability to track down and stop these people men, but the fact remains that they should never have been allowed inside our borders to do this.”
Quintero-Herrera and six others engaged in a conspiracy that encompassed much of the United States and involved twenty known residences. The burglary ring was very sophisticated: The conspirators would identify small business owners whom they suspected stored large amounts of cash or other valuables in their homes. The defendants then surveilled their targets, using GPS trackers to monitor their movements and cameras to surveil the homes of the victims. Ultimately, Quintero-Herrera and his co-conspirators broke into the homes of the victims, sometimes cutting off their power, and then ransacking the houses. The group took cash, jewelry, luxury brand purses and shoes, family heirlooms, as well as personal documents, like passports and mortgage paperwork. The houses were often left in complete and total disarray, with mattresses slashed and belongings strewn about. The defendants spent the money they obtained on drugs, nightclubs and extravagant travel.
The defendants used hidden surveillance cameras to watch potential victims
The defendants put GPS trackers on their victims’ cars to locate their homes
The defendants ripped apart their victims’ homes looking for valuables
“The defendants’ actions were calculated, invasive, and left lasting harm on their victims,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI is actively targeting South American theft groups that operate sophisticated, multi-state burglary rings like this one, and we are working tirelessly to disrupt their networks and hold them accountable. Through coordinated efforts across multiple states, we were able to bring those responsible to justice and restore a sense of security to the affected communities.”
In total, the United States charged seven defendants as part of the conspiracy. Six have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. One defendant remains at large. The Court has imposed the following prison sentences on the convicted defendants:
| Name | Age | Count of Conviction | Sentence |
| John Quintero-Herrera | 29 | Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property | 70 months |
| Iesua Ramirez-Perez | 26 | Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property | 39 months |
| Ivan Chaparro-Perez | 31 | Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property | 42 months |
| William Villarraga-Joya | 33 | Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property | 90 months |
| Paul Mendoza-Arevalo | 39 | Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property | 48 months |
| Wendy Acosta-Arevalo | 31 | Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property | 24 months |
This prosecution was made possible only through the inter-departmental cooperation of many law enforcement agencies spanning the country. The agencies that investigated this case include Dearborn (Michigan) Police Department; Greer (South Carolina) Police Department; Union County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anderson County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anniston (Alabama) Police Department; Foxborough (Massachusetts) Police Department; Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Police Department; Hoover (Alabama) Police Department; Spartanburg County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Worcester (Massachusetts) Police Department; Dracut (Massachusetts) Police Department; Farmington Hills (Michigan) Police Department; Mason (Ohio) Police Department; Alexandria (Kentucky) Police Department; Franklin (Wisconsin) Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigations; Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Department; Flint Township (Michigan) Police Department; Kent County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Department of Homeland Security were involved from the federal side.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.