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Press Release

Four Police Officers Charged With Conspiracy To Commit Robbery

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 27, 2020, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment against four Puerto Rico Police officers charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to steal and convert government property, and theft and conversion of government property, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The FBI was in charge of the investigation of the case.

The indictment alleges that beginning on a date unknown through and continuing up to December 29, 2016, in the District of Puerto Rico, the defendants, Sergeant Miguel Conde-Vellón, Luis Rodríguez-García, and Carlos Boyrie-Laboy aiding and abetting each other, conspired to commit robbery and extortion, in that the defendants agreed to, attempted, and did, unlawfully take money and property from a government confidential source, whom defendants believed to be engaged in the sale of pyrotechnics.

On December 29, 2016, defendants, Conde-Vellón, Rodríguez-García, and Boyrie-Laboy, while acting in their official capacity as PRPD officers and carrying firearms, made an unauthorized, forced entry into a residence located in the Duque Ward in Naguabo, PR, which they believed to be the stash house location utilized by the purported illegal seller of pyrotechnics. The defendants searched the residence, located and took possession of the following pyrotechnics: two (2) boxes of fireworks each containing 40 pieces of generic fireworks, two (2) boxes each containing 53 pieces of Thunder Max fireworks, one (1) box containing 18 pieces of Premiere FWK fireworks, and $2,995.00 in U.S. currency, which they believed to be proceeds of illegal activity from the person and presence, of a confidential source without lawful authority. In fact, the pyrotechnics and money stolen by the defendants was the property of the United States, with a combined value in excess of $1,000.

On or about June 15, 2017, defendants, Conde-Vellón, Rodríguez-García, Boyrie-Laboy, and Quermie Marquez-Rivera, while acting in their official capacity as PRPD officers and carrying firearms, made an unauthorized, forced entry into a residence located in the Calabazas Ward in Yabucoa, PR, which they believed to be the stash house location utilized by the purported illegal seller of stolen electronic equipment. The defendants searched the residence in order to locate and steal cash and property belonging to the purported illegal seller of electronic equipment. They found and stole two Samsung Tablets, and $6,350.00 in U.S. currency, which they believed to be proceeds of illegal activity from a confidential informant without lawful authority. In fact, the electronic equipment and money stolen by the defendants was the property of the United States, with a combined value in excess of $1,000.

In both instances, none of the defendants obtained, or attempted to obtain, a search warrant for the locations they entered to steal property and cash. After stealing the money and property, neither of the four defendants reported the search, the details of the detention, nor the seizure of the total amount of money and property to the PRPD. The defendants divided the proceeds of the robberies amongst themselves.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, up to 10 years in prison for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641, and up to 5 years in prison for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Updated August 28, 2020

Topic
Public Corruption