Arrest of Suspects Juan Carlos Ortiz-Figueroa and Jonathan Mora-Diaz in Carjacking and for Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence

SAN JUAN—On April 18, 2013, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Juan Carlos Ortiz-Figueroa and Jonathan Mora-Diaz were taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Juan Carlos Ortiz-Figueroa and Jonathan Mora-Diaz are charged with carjacking and the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in which the person may be prosecuted in a court of the United States.

The criminal complaint alleges on April 18, 2013, at approximately 1:50 a.m. K.R.R. and K.E.O. (collectively referred to as “victims”) were in La Pared beach in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, when they were approached by three individuals who told them that they had to leave. Two of the individuals had guns in their hands. The victims complied with all of the subjects requests because they were fearful for their life.

One of the subjects, later identified as Jonathan Mora-Diaz, having a gun in his hand, requested from K.R.R the car keys of a motor vehicle Toyota Corolla 2012 (hereinafter the vehicle). Around the same time, Juan Carlos Ortiz-Figueroa had a firearm in his hand and provided back-up to Mora-Diaz. K.R.R., under intimidation and fearing for his life, handed Mora-Diaz the car keys of the vehicle. One of the individuals told the victims to get in the car. K.R.R. and K.E.O. then entered the car along with the three subjects.

The subjects took the victims to a street with no exit. Once there, the victims were told to get out of the car. The victims went to the police station in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, and made a criminal complaint.

The POPR agents were conducting patrolling duties when a call came over the radio in regards to the carjacking mentioned above providing a description of the car and subjects. The POPR officers spotted the vehicle matching the description in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and they pulled them over. The officers then arrested the three individuals fitting the description. They also recovered two firearms and some black masks. The individuals arrested included a minor, Juan Carlos Ortiz-Figueroa, and Jonathan Mora-Diaz. The two firearms recovered were loaded FN Herstal Belgium and a loaded Sig Sauer model P229.

After being advised of their rights Ortiz-Figueroa and Mora-Diaz agreed to speak to the investigating agents and both admitted to their participation in the carjacking of K.R.R. and K.E.O. In addition, both admitted that they used a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, that is, a carjacking.

If convicted, the defendants faces up to a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment for taking a vehicle from a person by force and violence or by intimidation (carjacking) and a maximum of seven years for the use of a firearm.

Defendants were taken before the Magistrate today at approximately 12:30 p.m. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Vanessa Danette Bonano-Rodriguez and is being investigated by the Safe Our Streets Task Force (SOS), composed of FBI, Police of Puerto Rico, and the San Juan Municipal Police.

The public is reminded that a criminal complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.