Federal authorities arrested three men tied to a South American Theft Group and in the country illegally with a burglary at an NFL star’s Cincinnati-area home.
While the feds did not identify the NFL player, various reports identified Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as the victim.
The feds charged Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, 23; and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello, 38, all of Chile.
The men were taken into “local custody” after the traffic stop. A federal complaint was filed on Monday and returned on Wednesday.
According to multiple media reports, the men were in the U.S. illegally or had overstayed their visas. According to Fox News Channel, the burglars stole items valued at about $300,000.
“Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American Theft Groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said in a statement. “We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable.
“I cannot thank our law enforcement partners enough for their commitment to working together to track down these perpetrators,” Parker added. “Today is a day that law enforcement scored and spiked the ball.”
Authorities responded to a burglary report at the Anderson Township house around 8:14 p.m. on Dec. 9, 2024. An “associate of the homeowner,” identified by The Cincinnati Enquirer as Olivia Ponton, IMG model and influencer, who arrived at the house shortly after 8 p.m., discovered unusually messy rooms and a broken back bedroom window.
“So, obviously everybody has heard what has happened. I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one,” Burrow said after the break-in, according to NBC News. “And way more is out than I would want out there and that I care to share.”
Investigators think the burglary occurred between a security team shift change at 6 p.m. and the associate’s arrival at 8 p.m. At the time, Burrow and the Bengals played in Dallas, a game the Bengals won 27-20 over the Cowboys.
Investigators located an image from a trail camera showing a man with luggage in a nearby wooded area. Law enforcement tracked the subjects in multiple states and eventually located the vehicle at a La Quinta in Fairborn in the Dayton area.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation. Authorities found glass-breaking punch tools, a Louisiana State University shirt and a Cincinnati Bengals hat believed to be taken from the home.
According to prosecutors, a phone analysis revealed that Cabello deleted photographs of stolen goods and the home’s back amid the traffic stop, leading to the charge of falsifying records in a federal investigation. Further analysis found post-burglary photos of the suspects in southeast Florida wearing stolen jewelry and with luxury luggage.
“South American Theft Groups have been a major concern in the Cincinnati area,” FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola said in a statement. “We appreciate the partnerships of all the agencies involved in the Southwest Ohio South American Theft Group Task Force for their hard work on this investigation.”
Interstate transportation of stolen property carries a potential 10-year prison sentence, and falsifying records in a federal investigation carries a potential 20-year sentence.
The three were charged locally, and the state charges are pending. A fourth man, identified as 24-year-old Alexander Esteban Huaiquil-Chavez, faces state charges.
“The Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission was created for – and excels at – these types of complex, multi-jurisdictional cases,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement. “I’m proud of the work done so far, and look forward to more results as our task force continues its work.”
