TAVERNIER, Fla. (WSVN) — In a joint effort between multiple agencies, 10 men were arrested following an investigation into a sophisticated marine GPS theft ring operating across the Keys and South Florida.
The investigation, launched in May by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit and the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Marine Theft Task Force, tracked suspicious vehicles in Miami linked to marine thefts in Monroe County.
The effort led to the collection of crucial cell phone data, which resulted in 11 arrest warrants. It also resolved multiple marine and GPS theft-related cases in Islamorada.
The suspects, all living in Miami-Dade County, collectively face 122 charges.
- Juan Felipe Villegas, 19, bond set at $1,085,000
- Lazaro Arturo Gonzalez Munos, 22, bond set at $1,085,000
- Paul Moises Balbino Crespo, 23, bond set at $695,000
- Denzel Varona, 18, bond set at $465,000
- Jonathan Richard Lopez, 24, bond set at $200,000
- Anthony Manuel Guerra, 23, bond set at $120,000
- Walfrido William Garcia, 22, bond set at $50,000
- Carlos Mederos, 45, bond set at $50,000
- Oscar Sahori Medina, 24, bond set at $50,000
- Alfredo Sanchez, 29, bond set at $50,000
“I’m happy to announce these thieves are behind bars,” said Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners, particularly Miami-Dade Police, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and State Attorney Dennis Ward’s office, for their shared commitment to stopping and prosecuting these cases. Our message: If you commit these crimes in Monroe County, you will end up in jail.”
The remaining suspect, Milton Horney Gonzalez Gil, 53, whose bond was set at $50,000, is still at large.
The combined bond for all 11 suspects amounts to $3.9 million.
The investigation also unveiled potential burglary targets across 17 counties, including Bay, Brevard, Broward, Collier, Charlotte, Duval, Hillsborough, Indian River, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, St. Lucie, and St. Johns.
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