New charges have been brought against a group of thieves thought to be part of the South American Theft Group targeting homes in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
The defendants are thought to be part of a ring of thieves who hire Chilean nationals to come to the United States and – after obtaining false identification – operate as “crime tourists” who plan and execute elaborate burglaries here and nationwide.
This brings the total number of individuals charged by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to six. Three were apprehended in Phoenix in February; the most recent defendants were arrested in Scottsdale earlier this month.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, South American Theft Groups are made up of people who travel from South America specifically to target homes and families in the U.S. The federal government’s tourist visa program allows them to fly into the United States without a background check. Once they’ve entered our county, they immediately obtain fake I.D. They travel to cities across the nation – including in Maricopa County – and steal millions in untraceable items.
“The Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Departments have done some amazing work to find these criminals and arrest them,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “The job of my office is to hold them accountable. This is not a phenomenon limited to Maricopa County – these organized groups are stealing from families across the nation. I will not allow them to become entrenched here and pose a further threat to our neighbors.”
The Scottsdale defendants are:
- Grecia Romanduski Gaete Castillo* (07/91), charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; and possession of burglary tools, a Class 6 felony.
- Sebastian Jesus Parraguez Soto* (12/00) charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; and possession of burglary tools, a Class 6 felony.
- A juvenile* charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; possession of burglary tools, a Class 6 felony; and false reporting to law enforcement, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Since November of 2023, Scottsdale has been aware of more than 100 similar types of burglaries. One defendant admitted to being in the U.S. on a tourist visa and had already been a part of burglaries in California, Nevada, and Arizona.
The defendants in the Phoenix cases are:
- David Carlos Rojas Ferrada* (07/02) charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; attempt burglary in the second degree, a Class 4 felony; possession of burglary tools, a Class 6 felony; identity theft, a Class 4 felony; and forgery, a Class 4 felony.
- Johan Bastian Salvo Alacon* (10/02) charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; attempt to commit burglary in the second degree, Class 4 felony; possession of burglary tools, a Class 6 felony; resisting arrest, a Class 1 misdemeanor; taking the identity of another, a Class 4 felony; and forgery, a Class 4 felony.
- Sue Ellen Patricia Gutierrez Saez* (07/23) charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in the second degree, a Class 3 felony; attempt to commit burglary in the second degree; aggravated assault, a Class 5 felony; forgery, a Class 4 felony; and taking the identity of another, a Class 4 felony.
Gutierrez Saez now also faces seven additional charges of burglary in the second degree.
Biden invited them to come here. Thanks, Dems.