Sentencing for four individuals involved in a large-scale retail theft scheme concluded today in U.S. District Court, Providence. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the completion of hearings for the defendants, all Guatemalan nationals present illegally in the U.S., who were detained since their arrest in April 2024.
The group was convicted for conspiring to steal and resell high-value products from home improvement stores and other retailers across several states. The conspiracy included up to fifteen members involved in 35 documented theft incidents at retail outlets in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Stolen goods included electrical wire, flooring, power tools, and clothing.
Court documents revealed an intended loss of at least $280,000. Searches conducted on April 12, 2024, led to the seizure of $11,000 worth of stolen items and $83,000 in cash from residences in Cranston and Providence.
Abraham Dayger-Enrique and Jonathan Jose Amperez-Perez received sentences of time served (eleven months) from Senior Judge William E. Smith who also ordered their removal to Guatemala. Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz was sentenced earlier to 30 months in federal prison with an immigration detainer lodged against him by ICE. Sebastian Lajuj-Solomon received a sentence of time served (nine months) and was deported to Guatemala.
Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams prosecuted these cases with investigations conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents alongside various police departments across multiple states.
