Jaddiel Centeno-Cruz and Carlos Catala-Camacho Arrested in Carjacking

SAN JUAN,—On May 12, 2013, Jaddiel Centeno-Cruz and Carlos Catala-Camacho were taken into custody by the FBI. Jaddiel Centeno-Cruz and Carlos Catala-Camacho were charged with carjacking and the use of a weapon during a crime of violence.

A federal complaint states that on May 12, 2013, at approximately 10:30 p.m., E.G.N (victim) was leaving her niece’s apartment with her daughter, B.C.G. (victim #2), and a baby grandchild.

E.G.N. noticed two male individuals acting suspiciously and walking toward her. E.G.N immediately got inside her vehicle and closed the door. Soon after, the two individuals were standing next to the driver side door. One of the individuals, later identified as Jaddiel Centeno-Cruz, knocked on her window and asked E.G.N to roll it down. E.G.N saw the other individual, identified as Carlos Catala-Camacho, standing behind Centeno-Cruz and towards the left rear passenger side of the vehicle.

Centeno-Cruz furnished a nickel-plated pistol and knocked the front passenger window with it, and Catala-Camacho was holding a hammer in his hand. Centeno-Cruz yelled to E.G.N. to open the door. E.G.N. opened the door lock and Centeno-Cruz opened the door while grabbing E.G.N by her shoulder and pulling her out of the vehicle. Once outside the vehicle, Centeno-Cruz yanked a cellular phone out of E.G.N. hand and asked for money. E.G.N, fearing for her life and the safety of her daughter and grandchild, told Centeno-Cruz to take everything and leave. E.G.N started to run away from the vehicle towards her daughter. E.G.N. and her daughter ran towards the entrance of the condominium to call the police.

Centeno-Cruz and Catala-Camacho immediately got inside the vehicle and drove away of the area. While driving, Centeno-Cruz made a right turn and failed to stop at a stop sign. Catala-Camacho was riding as the front passenger. At that moment, a police vehicle from the San Juan Municipal Police Department (SJMPD) noticed the vehicle failed to make the stop and initiated a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, the SJMPD officers detained the two individuals that were inside the vehicle when they heard a female voice screaming for help. A SJMPD officer went to investigate and ran into E.G.N, who indicated she was just carjacked, providing the description of her vehicle and notifying the individuals were armed.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Normary Figueroa and is being investigated by the Save Our Streets (SOS) Task Force, 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.