According to the FBI, a band of illegal immigrants utilized blowtorches, cell phone jammers, and various disguises to carry out bank heists in multiple states.
According to federal prosecutors, a federal grand jury has charged a group of illegal immigrants from South America with utilizing "sophisticated tactics" such as disguising themselves as construction workers, using blowtorches, and employing cell phone signal jammers to carry out bank robberies in various states, leading to the theft of more than $4 million in cash.
According to U.S. Attorney Philip A. Talbert, a group mainly consisting of Chilean nationals engaged in criminal activities targeting more than 29 banks and credit unions in California, Oregon, and Washington during the period from May to October.
As indicated in court documents, the gang positioned ATMs in "vulnerable locations" and then secured short-term vacation properties in the vicinity, employing cars obtained from the "black market."
According to officials, nine of the eleven individuals facing charges were arrested last week, and two others were detained in Washington on October 30.
According to prosecutors, one incident involved the suspects observing a business located next to a Wells Fargo in Modesto, California, breaking in after hours, and cutting a hole in the wall to gain access to the bank's ATM.
The authorities have made public photographs of the individuals believed to be involved in the bank robbery, who were disguised as construction workers, donning hard hats, medical masks, and high-visibility safety vests.
In a different incident, prosecutors indicated that robbers assaulted a bank in Fall River Mills, California. They purportedly utilized blowtorches, saws, and other power tools to infiltrate the bank and access its internal vault. The robbers managed to flee after being intercepted, leaving several of their tools behind.
Authorities announced that they uncovered a significant quantity of burglary tools, disguises, forged identification documents, and in excess of $100,000 in cash at multiple short-term rental locations in Oregon and Washington.
Talbert named the illegal immigrants as:
- Alex Moyano Morales, 24, of Chile
- Maite Celis Silva, 26, of Chile
- Erik Osorio Olivarez, 20, of Chile
- Pablo Valdez Rodriguez, 36, a Chilean national
- Rosa Bastias Serra, 42, of Chile
- Camilo Sepulveda Guzman, 31, of Peru
- Bassil Dacosta Frias, 34, of Venezuela
- Camilo Alarcon Alarcon, 23, of Chile
- Michelle Parada Munoz, 21, of Chile
- Alvaro Lagos Mieres, 44, of Chile
- Humberto Jimenez Moreno, 45, of Chile
According to Talbert, every defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, while Moyano, Celis, Osorio, Valdez, Bastias, Sepulveda, Lagos, and Jimenez face additional charges of bank robbery.
Court filings indicate that the defendants specifically aimed at banks and ATMs across the Eastern District of California, including locations in Fresno, Auburn, Merced, Clovis, Modesto, Roseville, Rocklin, Yuba City, and Fall River Mills. Their operations also included banks and ATMs situated in Oregon, Washington state, and the Los Angeles area.
In the event of a conviction, the defendants may be subjected to the highest statutory punishment of 20 years in prison for the bank robbery offense, in addition to a five-year sentence for the conspiracy charge.
