A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin has indicted four illegal aliens from South America in connection with a multi-state burglary ring responsible for approximately $1 million in stolen property. The indictment, announced by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel, charges Chilean nationals Luciano Alexis Silva Cifuentes, Enjerbet Alejandro Rojas Silva, and Leandro Felipe Pino Uribe, along with Venezuelan national Nobuaki Jesus Lara Watay.
The defendants face charges including conspiracy to violate U.S. laws, interstate and foreign transportation of stolen property, and conspiracy to launder criminal proceeds. The investigation, initiated by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office and later joined by the Milwaukee area Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), alleges the group traveled from South America to commit burglaries across the United States.
The theft ring is linked to over a dozen residential burglaries and attempts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Florida. Stolen items include U.S. currency, jewelry, firearms, precious metals, and rare coins. Nobuaki Jesus Lara Watay, also living illegally in the U.S. in Florida, is accused of supporting the burglary crew by reserving Airbnb rentals, posting bail, and conducting financial transactions.
This indictment is part of the broader HSTF initiative, established by Executive Order 14159, "Protecting the American People Against Invasion." The HSTF, a multi-agency partnership led by the FBI, HSI, and IRS-CI, aims to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The charges carry significant penalties, with maximum sentences ranging from five to twenty years in prison. An indictment is merely a charge, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.