Cops say South American gang allegedly targeted Indian-Americans in Long Island

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Police in Nassau County, Long Island arrested four suspects, originally from Colombia, in what they think is a gang from South America that targets Indian-Americans to commit robberies.

According to a press briefing held Oct. 12, by officers of the Police Department of the County of Nassau (pdcn.org), the Burglary Pattern Team and the Bureau of Special Operations were already investigating some 20-30 cases of burglaries in the area, and arrested four men in connection with that.

On October 10, 2022, at 1.00 pm. Eastern time, they observed   defendant Daniel Esteban Jimenez – Carrillo, 30, of 149-52 124th Street South Ozone Park, knock on the front door of a South Street residence and then walk away and circle the block multiple times after no one answered, the police detailed on the police department website.

Also observed was defendant Gleason Jhoan Hernandez – Gomez, 33, of 121-19 9th Avenue College Point, and defendant Justin Mora-Soto, 20, of 149-52 124th Street South Ozone Park enter a South Drive residence rear yard and break the glass of a rear sliding door and pry it open.

After a woman screamed from inside the residence the defendants ran away on foot.

According to police, both defendants fled into a 2020 black Hyundai driven by a fourth defendant Brayan Alexis Ortiz-Ramos, 20, of 149-52 124th Street South Ozone Park.

Members of the Bureau of Special Operations were able to apprehend defendant Jimenez – Carrillo on Denton Avenue and placed him in police custody. Other BSO members were able to locate and stop the black Hyundai on Hillside Avenue in North New Hyde Park. All other defendants were then placed in police custody.
All defendants are being charged with Attempted Burglary 2nd Degree and Conspiracy 4th Degree.

They were arraigned at First District Court on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, and remain in jail as they were not able to raise the bail money, CBSNews New York reported.

Police say the suspects used lookouts and surveillance to follow unsuspecting victims who were if Indian origin from a store or other location where they may be.

In the press conference video, the Nassau County Police Department officials said the suspects posed as utility workers in Hicksville.

“They would watch those coming out of the Patel store or the jewelry store or getting their nails done. They follow them to their residence,” Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at the press briefing Oct. 12.

A neighbor, Tejal Patel, told CBSNews the incident happened just two blocks from her home and “It is really terrifying.” Another neighbor Anita Ramolia told CBSNews the fear was constantly on her mind.

The suspects appeared armed and dangerous because police said one of them had hidden an AK-47 in the woods near a school opposite to the house they were trying to burgle.

“They wrapped it in a plastic bag, and placed it with the bullets in the woods across the street from the house, and any child, any kid, could have picked that gun up,” Ryder is quoted saying in the CBSNews report.