Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that four individuals have been charged in connection with the theft of more than $400,000 worth of semi-truck parts. The Office of Statewide Prosecution alleges that Geosvany Figueredo-Gonzalez, Brian Sanchez-Perez, Orlando Martinez-Dorta, and Liovel Urra-Penate were involved in dozens of burglaries targeting electronic control modules (ECMs) from Freightliner semi-trucks across Florida and Texas.
According to investigators from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office’s Organized Crime Task Force, the defendants are linked to ECM thefts in several Florida counties—Hillsborough, Duval, Lee, and Polk—as well as Travis and Williamson Counties in Texas. Authorities report that the crimes resulted not only in $404,668 worth of stolen ECMs but also $372,000 in truck repair costs and affected 93 truck owners.
Attorney General Uthmeier stated: “We have made it clear that crime doesn’t pay in Florida, and if you’re an illegal alien, we will work with the Trump administration to remove you from our country. I’m grateful for the hard work by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in this case for uncovering this massive scheme. Our Statewide Prosecutors will ensure the only thing coming for these criminal aliens is a strong prison sentence and a flight back to where they came from.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister commented: “This case is a strong example of what can be accomplished when local and state agencies work as one. The support from Attorney General James Uthmeier and our statewide prosecutors was not just helpful but essential. Without their partnership, the scope and success of this investigation simply would not have been possible. Together, we didn’t just gather intelligence, we acted on it and delivered justice.”
The Office of Statewide Prosecution has charged all four individuals under the Florida Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), along with multiple counts of burglary involving travel across county lines.
The defendants are awaiting trial. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued detainers for three out of four defendants; authorities will review the fourth defendant’s permanent resident status if convicted.
If found guilty on all charges, each defendant could face up to 832 years in prison as well as deportation.
