Courts.
Members of a “sophisticated” South American theft ring that targeted the homes of Asian business owners in multiple Pennsylvania counties are headed to prison for up to 10 years for their roles in the break-ins.
Juan Guerrero-Acosta, 26, of Queens, N.Y, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 4 to 10 years in a state correctional institution after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, burglary and attempted burglary in connection with incidents that occurred between July and October 2024, in Montgomery, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Bucks, Lehigh, Lancaster, Northampton and Cambria counties, according to court documents.
Roger Pinilla-Pardo, 22, of Fresh Meadows, N.Y., was sentenced to 3½ to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to corrupt organizations, burglary and attempted burglary charges.
Juan Meneses-Munoz, 19, of College Point, N.Y., and Misael Angel Sanchez, 52, of Rego Park, N.Y., were sentenced to 4 to 10 years in prison after they pleaded guilty to corrupt organization and burglary-related charges.
All four New York men were given plea agreements and sentenced by Common Pelas Judge Risa Vetri Ferman.
Juan Guerreo-Acosta (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney)
Roger Pinilla-Pardo (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney)
Juan Meneses-Munoz (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney)
Misael Sanchez (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney)
The men, who are Colombian Nationals, likely will face federal immigration and deportation proceedings after they serve their sentences, according to The Mercury.
Guerrero-Acosta, Pinilla-Pardo, Meneses-Munoz and Sanchez were among 11 men, all Colombian Nationals who lived in the area of Queens, N.Y., charged in connection with the theft ring last year.
Several others are still awaiting court action, according to the report.
“They would stalk these homes and work together. They would have people stand guard and watch the locations while others would go inside and take jewelry and any items they wanted, and they did this multiple times throughout the state of Pennsylvania,” Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Eileen Glenning told The Mercury.
The homeowners were not home during the burglaries, and no one was injured. The ring was responsible for 13 residential burglaries in Abington, Horsham, Lower Merion, and Towamencin in Montgomery County; in West Goshen and Birmingham townships in Chester County; in Lower Alsace Township in Berks County; in Manheim Township in Lancaster County; in Adams Township, Cambria County; and in Bethlehem, Northampton County.
There were also three attempted break-ins in Warminster, Allentown and Media.
In addition to Pennsylvania, the filchers have been tied to other criminal operations in Ohio, New Jersey, New York and Delaware.
Police said they chose Asian households because they believed “Asian-American business owners keep large amounts of cash inside their homes.”
All in all, the quartet must repay $318,807, according to court documents.
