A criminal enterprise involving fourteen suspects has been dismantled after allegedly operating a sophisticated porch piracy scheme that targeted numerous Long Island residents between October 2023 and February 2025. The core of the operation involved obtaining sensitive insider information about packages, mostly high-value cellphones shipped via FedEx from companies like Verizon and AT&T. This privileged data—which included delivery schedules, tracking numbers, and package contents—was allegedly acquired through a digital infiltration or hacking of the delivery systems. The suspects leveraged this information to quickly pinpoint and steal boxes of expensive electronics from the front porches of homes across more than thirty Long Island towns shortly after they were dropped off.
The operation was reportedly overseen by Andricson Jerez, 29, who utilized encrypted messaging to communicate orders and instructions to his numerous associates. Prosecutors allege that Jerez’s own father, Juan Baez, 48, was also a participant in the scheme, assisting with the transport and delivery of the stolen items to buyers. While the identity of the person responsible for the likely sophisticated hacking that yielded the critical intel remains unknown, authorities acknowledge that obtaining this kind of delivery information would require a high level of technical skill. The coordination between the acquisition of the data and the physical theft was key to the ring’s success for such an extended period.
Following the thefts, the merchandise was funneled to several designated stash houses located in the Bronx, which served as central processing points for the stolen goods. At these locations, the ill-gotten items were inventoried, packaged, and prepared for distribution. The stolen cellphones and electronics were then sold off in large quantities to various wholesalers, with the criminal network conducting transactions with buyers both within the United States and internationally. This multi-step process demonstrates the organized and extensive nature of the criminal enterprise, which built a significant operation on the basis of crimes against Suffolk County families and businesses.
The extensive nature of the scheme was matched by instances of alleged violence and confrontation with victims and delivery personnel. In one reported incident, a FedEx delivery driver was allegedly shoved by Luger Guerrero, 26, and a group of his accomplices before they proceeded to steal a package containing fifteen tablets. Separately, Felipe Batista, 22, is accused of ripping a package directly away from a homeowner. These encounters underscore the disregard for the safety of others shown by the alleged thieves during the course of their operation.
Furthermore, the methods used to obtain the goods were not limited strictly to porch thefts. In at least one instance, Leonel Tejeda Reynoso, 32, is believed to have employed a fake identification card to successfully collect a package containing a tablet valued at over $1,000 directly from a FedEx center in Melville. The comprehensive indictment and subsequent arrests signal the determination of authorities to hold accountable those who commit large-scale crimes against local residents, regardless of the sophistication of their criminal endeavor.
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