A Connecticut woman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for her involvement in a burglary ring that targeted residences and businesses owned by individuals of Asian descent. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Basneyareth Rebollar-Martinez, aged 28, from Stamford, Connecticut, received the sentence on Wednesday from U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith. In addition to her incarceration, she will face three years of federal supervised release and must pay $722,420 in restitution to the victims of her crimes. As a Mexican national, Rebollar-Martinez is subject to deportation after serving her prison term.
Rebollar-Martinez pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. She admitted that between July 2022 and January 2023, she conspired with others to burglarize at least ten residences across eight states including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The group targeted homes based on assumptions they contained cash and valuables such as jewelry and heirlooms.
Court documents revealed that forensic audits of cell phones belonging to Rebollar-Martinez and other conspirators showed photos and communications indicating surveillance activities on potential victims. These included monitoring their workplaces like Chinese restaurants and nail salons using GPS trackers on vehicles and drones for further surveillance.
Once a target was identified, members of the conspiracy took on various roles: acting as lookouts near the location or driving co-conspirators for drop-offs and pickups while others forcibly entered the residences. Stolen items were then transported elsewhere for sale.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Julianne Klein prosecuted the case following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations with support from multiple police departments across several states as well as the United States Postal Inspection Service.