(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of nine defendants following an investigation into a pattern of auto-body shop burglaries, stolen vehicles, carjackings, and armed robberies over a 17-day period in July and August 2025. The indictment charges the nine defendants in a crime spree that allegedly spanned from Suffolk County through Long Island into New York City, Westchester and Dutchess counties, and down the eastern seaboard to Florida.
The investigation was led by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Gang Task Force and Suffolk County Police Department working in conjunction with the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Office, New York State Police, New York City Police Department, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Nassau County Police Department, Sleepy Hollow Police Department, White Plains Police Department, Greenburgh Police Department, Old Westbury Police Department, Hyde Park Police Department, Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, and United States Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
“This indictment is another example of my office’s commitment to holding organized criminal enterprises accountable,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we were able to uncover, identify, and charge this Suffolk County-based operation with a pattern of robberies, burglaries, and car thefts spanning multiple jurisdictions from Long Island to Florida. This indictment should send a message to any criminal operation in Suffolk County: we will pursue you and hold you accountable, no matter where our investigation takes us.”
“I want to commend the Suffolk County Polce Department and our law enforcement partners, including the District Attorney’s Office, for bringing this criminal enterprise to an end following a crime spree than spanned more than two weeks and escalated in severity,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “Our coordinated efforts undoubtedly prevented an innocent person from being seriously injured. Although the criminal activity extended beyond Suffolk County borders, agencies worked collaboratively to ensure these nine individuals were apprehended.”
“Thanks to the strength of Suffolk’s law enforcement partners, another organized crime ring is going to have to answer for its actions,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “Through coordinated efforts, dangerous individuals connected to serious crimes spanning from Suffolk County down the East Coast have been apprehended and charged. I commend the investigators and officers involved for their work and dedication over the course of this multi-year investigation and for their continued commitment to keeping Suffolk County safe.”
“A tremendous interagency investigation has resulted in a detrimental auto theft ring being dismantled,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “The nine individuals indicted in this case had no regard for the dangers they posed to the community. I want to thank our members, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement partners for their tenacious dedication to intercepting auto theft and crime.”
“These arrests underscore the strength of collaboration among local, state, and federal partners committed to combating violent gun crime,” said Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “The conduct alleged in this case reflects the type of brazen violence that endangers our communities. ATF NY is proud to have assisted in this investigation and will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals who victimize others are held accountable. Together, we will continue to investigate, apprehend, and bring to justice those who threaten the safety of our streets. Thanks to the diligent efforts of NYPD’s Queens Robbery Squad, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office & ATF/NYPD’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Group.”
“We have a great partnership with the Suffolk County Police Department,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “There are no geographical divides when it comes to keeping our communities safe — we work as one.”
“In an effort to keep all of our communities safe, collaboration is essential when investigating violent criminal enterprises because they operate without jurisdictional boundaries,” said White Plains Public Safety Commissioner Wade Hardy. “We are proud to join the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners in investigating and apprehending these defendants.”
The Investigation
In August 2025, members of the Suffolk County Police Department and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Task Force commenced an investigation into a pattern of burglaries, stolen vehicles, and armed robberies occurring in Suffolk County in early August 2025. The investigation quickly revealed that the alleged criminality was related to each other, and after collaboration with law enforcement partners, further revealed that the Suffolk County incidents were part of an enterprise that spanned multiple jurisdictions.
Through continuous collaboration with law enforcement partners, the collection and analysis of video surveillance, witness interviews, and the execution of approximately 30 search warrants into digital data and residences, the investigation uncovered a burglary and robbery ring organized primarily in Suffolk County and consisting of the nine charged defendants responsible for nearly 20 criminal incidents from Suffolk County to Florida.
The Indictment
The indictment alleges that between July 19, 2025 and August 4, 2025, in total, the defendants broke into eight auto-body shops, two residences, committed three armed robberies, stole multiple vehicles, and possessed multiple handguns. The defendants allegedly targeted auto-body shops and unsuspecting car owners to steal cash, vehicles, and license plates, and used the stolen vehicles and license plates to continuously swap out in an attempt to evade law enforcement during the crime spree.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that on July 19, 2025, defendants LENY CRUZ, HARVIN PARRA, NOEL SANTELISES, and EDWARD NUNEZ travelled from Suffolk County to Westchester County in a stolen BMW M3 sedan where they broke into three auto-body shops on the same night. The defendants allegedly broke the front windows of each of the shops and stole hundreds of dollars in cash and approximately 200 blank checks from the shops before returning to Suffolk County.
Less than one week later, on July 25, 2025, it is alleged that defendants LENY CRUZ and HARVIN PARRA broke into two auto-body shops in Dutchess County. Specifically, it is alleged that CRUZ and PARRA broke into a Hyde Park auto-body shop where they stole the keys to a white Chevrolet Suburban which was parked in the parking lot. CRUZ and PARRA then allegedly stole the Suburban and used that stolen Suburban to travel to another auto-body shop in Poughkeepsie, where they allegedly broke in and stole a safe containing $5,000 in cash, blank checks, and 48 sets of New York State license plates.
On the way back from Dutchess County to Suffolk County, it is alleged that CRUZ and PARRA drove the stolen Suburban to Nassau County where they broke the front glass window and entered a Lamborghini dealership in an unsuccessful attempt to steal a Lamborghini. CRUZ and PARRA then drove the stolen Suburban to Melville where it was subsequently recovered.
It is further alleged that the next day, CRUZ and PARRA travelled to Florida to acquire firearms and continue their crime spree. While in Florida, between July 27, 2025 and July 29, 2025, it is alleged that the defendants acquired two firearms and stole a Dodge Charger which they used to travel within Florida and back to Suffolk County. The defendants allegedly swapped out the license plates on the Dodge Charger with the license plates stolen from the Poughkeepsie auto-body shop on July 25, 2025.
Using the stolen Dodge Charger, the defendants allegedly attempted to break into another auto-body shop in Arcadia, Florida and used the firearms acquired in Florida to carjack the driver of a BMW sedan on their way back from Florida to Suffolk County. The defendants abandoned the BMW sedan after discovering that the sedan was a manual transmission.
Following CRUZ and PARRA’s return to Suffolk County, they were joined by defendants JUSTIN KENNY and SAVION JONES, and on August 2, 2025, they allegedly travelled from Suffolk County to Westchester County in a Hyundai SUV affixed with one of the stolen license plates and broke into another auto-body shop in Sleepy Hollow.
That same day, CRUZ, PARRA, KENNY, and JONES allegedly returned to Suffolk County, armed with a firearm, and broke into a residence in an Amityville apartment complex where they stole the keys to a Porsche SUV and several thousand dollars in cash. The defendants then allegedly stole the Porsche SUV, which was parked in the parking lot of the apartment complex and drove to Queens where they abandoned the vehicle.
Over the next two days, between August 3, 2025 and August 4, 2025, PARRA, JOSE RAMOS, and CARLOS BENITEZ-MONTOYA, armed with what appeared to be firearms, allegedly broke into yet another auto-body shop in Deer Park in Suffolk County and stole car keys, tools, and an iPad. The defendants then used those firearms to carjack a woman outside of her residence in Deer Park and stole the victim’s Mercury sedan. The defendants then allegedly travelled to Amityville in the stolen Mercury sedan where they attempted to break into yet another auto-body shop.
That same day, on August 4, 2025, it is alleged that CRUZ, PARRA, JONES, KENNY, and ROBERT SALTERS conspired to commit a gunpoint home invasion of yet another victim in the victim’s Bay Shore residence. It is alleged that the defendants broke into the victim’s residence and stole approximately $4,700 in cash at gunpoint.
Members of the Suffolk County Police Department responded to a 911 call for the August 4, 2025 Bay Shore burglary and arrested PARRA and CRUZ nearby. CRUZ was allegedly in possession of a .45 caliber handgun, $2,000 in cash, and the key fob to the stolen Dodge Charger from Florida. Police additionally recovered the stolen Dodge Charger nearby and upon searching the vehicle, recovered several more stolen license plates which were stolen from the auto-body shop in Poughkeepsie on July 25, 2025. PARRA and CRUZ have remained incarcerated since their arrests.
On February 25, 2026, six of the nine defendants were arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department with the assistance of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, United States Marshal’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, New York City Police Department, and other law enforcement partners involved in the investigation. The remaining three defendants were previously in custody.
Indicted Defendants
1. SAVION JONES, 22, of Huntington Station, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree. JONES is currently in custody on an unrelated case and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz on March 6, 2026. JONES faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by Steve Fondulis, Esq.
2. LENY CRUZ, 23, of Brooklyn, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree. CRUZ is currently in custody and scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz on March 2, 2026. CRUZ faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by Luigi Belcastro, Esq.
3. HARVIN PARRA, 20, of Bay Shore, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree. On February 26, 2026, PARRA was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz ordered PARRA held on $350,000 cash, $750,000 bond, $1,500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. PARRA is due back in court on March 24, 2026, and faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by William Sammis, Esq.
4. NOEL SANTELISES, 21, of Brooklyn, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree. On February 25, 2026, SANTELISES was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz placed SANTELISES on supervised release because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. SANTELISES is due back in court on March 25, 2026, and faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison. He is being represented by Jason Bassett, Esq.
5. ROBERT SALTERS, 20, of Wyandanch, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree. On February 25, 2026, SALTERS was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz ordered SALTERS held on $150,000 cash, $500,000 bond, $1,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. SALTERS is due back in court on March 23, 2026, and faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by Ian Fitzgerald, Esq.
6. EDWARD NUNEZ, 28, of Brooklyn, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree. On February 25, 2026, NUNEZ was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz placed NUNEZ on supervised release because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. NUNEZ is due back in court on March 25, 2026, and faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison. He is being represented by Keith O’Halloran, Esq.
7. JUSTIN KENNY, 24, of Bohemia, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree. On February 25, 2026, KENNY was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz ordered KENNY held on $350,000 cash, $750,000 bond, $1,500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. KENNY is due back in court on March 25, 2026, and faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.
8. JOSE RAMOS, 20, of Bay Shore, faces a top count of Robbery in the Second Degree. On February 25, 2026, RAMOS was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz ordered RAMOS held on $150,000 cash, $500,000 bond, $1,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. RAMOS is due back in court on March 25, 2026, and faces up to 15 years in prison. He is being represented by Tara Laterza, Esq.
9. CARLOS BENITEZ-MONTOYA, 20, of Bay Shore, faces a top count of Robbery in the Second Degree. On February 25, 2026, BENITEZ-MONTOYA was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Horowitz. Justice Horowitz ordered BENITEZ-MONTOYA held on $100,000 cash, $350,000 bond, $750,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. BENITEZ-MONTOYA is due back in court on March 23, 2026, and faces up to 15 years in prison. He is being represented by John Halverson, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sean Buckley and Matthew Laube of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau. The investigation was led by Detective Matthew Messina of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Intelligence Section and Detective Investigator Jean Graf of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Task Force.