GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) — A Florida man convicted in June for his role in a series of home invasion burglaries targeting cryptocurrency was sentenced to 47 years in prison on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
A total of 12 men have been convicted this month in connection with the scheme, the Justice Department announced Friday.
One of the break-ins occurred at a Durham home in April 2023, when a couple was assaulted, threatened with a gun and restrained with plastic zip ties. The Department of Justice said suspects Remy La St. Felix, 25, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Elmer Ruben Castro, 23, also of West Palm Beach, were involved in the break-in. Prior to the break-in, the pair illegally accessed the couple's email accounts and monitored their home for several days.
The perpetrators then forced the man to give them access to his computer and cryptocurrency exchange account. Another accomplice, Jarrod Gabriel Seemangal, 23, of West Palm Beach, then remotely accessed the couple's computer and stole $150,000 worth of cryptocurrency, according to the Department of Justice. The perpetrators then laundered the funds through anonymous cryptocurrencies, “instant exchanges,” and decentralized finance platforms.
In total, St. Felix and his accomplices stole more than $3.5 million from victims through home invasions in areas including Florida, North Carolina and Texas. The suspects were arrested in July 2023 when they traveled to Long Island, New York to commit home invasions.
St. Felix was convicted in Greensboro on June 25 after a six-day trial. In addition to the 47-year sentence, he was placed on five years probation and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.
The Justice Department described him as the leader of a home invasion team.
Also see | Inside the 'crypto scam' that's costing victims billions of dollars: ABC News investigates
Seemungal was also sentenced on Wednesday. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, and ordered to pay $4.038 billion in restitution.
Castro pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to kidnap and abduction charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1.
The other conspirators pleaded guilty to kidnapping conspiracy in May.
Jose Alfredo Avila, 27, of West Palm Beach, was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, and ordered to pay $365,100 in restitution.
DeAngelo Lee Contreras, 21, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.
Hazel Dailey, 22, of West Palm Beach, was sentenced last week to 25 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.
Victor Gonzalez, 27, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by three years of probation, and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.
Nathan Noel Quintana, 24, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced last week to 16 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, and ordered to pay $365,100 in restitution.
Ruben Mathias Nikolopoulos Silva, 22, of Lake Worth, Florida, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.
Christian Valdez, 21, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.
Jesus Gerardo Valdes Jr., 27, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.
Jesus Manuel Santiago III, 23, of West Palm Beach, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 1.
The FBI's Charlotte Office investigated this case with assistance from the Durham Police Department, and the FBI's New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Offices.
Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All rights reserved.
