5 men accused of stealing tourist’s $100K watch, firing at detective in Miami

Five guys are charged with robbing a tourist in Miami’s Design District of their $100,000 watch while brandishing a gun, then shooting an officer who attempted to intervene. On December 6, three individuals were indicted: Raynner Jorland Pacheco-Sandoval, Alejandro Moises, and Larry Junior Mendez-Ruiz. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, their co-defendants Briann Ricardo Hernandez-Castillo and Ildemar Jose Chirinos-Torres have not yet appeared before a court.

The guys, who are all from Venezuela, are charged with a crime that occurred on December 15, 2023, when they went around in three different automobiles “looking for wealthy victims to rob,” according to the attorney’s office. The lawyer’s office and Miami police stated at the time that Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo were captured on surveillance footage “leaving the vehicle, walking to a valet stand,” robbing the victim at gunpoint near 90 NE 39 Street, and then fleeing.

The defendants were then pursued in their unmarked cars by undercover investigators from the Fort Lauderdale police department who were looking into a different case. At that point, Chirinos-Torres is accused of firing at one detective several times. The investigator was unharmed. Pacheco-Sandoval is charged with acting as a lookout to spot victims who are sporting expensive jewelry.

Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo reportedly left the escape car that Moises was driving and were picked up by Mendez-Ruiz. Some of the offenders allegedly drove to and from Florida in order to carry out the crime, according to the authorities. Pacheco-Sandoval, Moises, and Mendez-Ruiz were ordered to be held pending trial. The males are accused of brandishing and firing a firearm during and in connection with a violent crime, Hobbs Act robbery, and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.