The recent string of burglaries taking place at the professional athletes’ homes across the nation is being attributed to multiple South American gangs, according to officials.
Three Chilean men were charged in relation to the events that unfolded at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home on Dec. 9. The alleged burglars are accused of stealing nearly $300,000 worth of items from the quarterback’s residence.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich announced the charges on Wednesday.
Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, 22, Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, 23, and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello, 38, have been indicted in Hamilton County on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and burglary.
They were also indicted on federal charges in connection with the burglary of Burrow’s home.
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Prosecutors said they also arrested a fourth man, Alexander Esteban Huaiquil Chavez, with the trio. However, he was not connected to the burglary.
Sanchez, Morales and Cabello are in custody in Clark County and will not be released on bond, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said at the press conference. There is an immigration detainer on the men preventing them from leaving the country if they do post bond, Pillich said.
She added that they have created a specialized task force, which is overseen by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, to deal with these high-profile crimes.
‘Trust me, this will not be the last case that comes out of this investigation,’ Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said.
He warned residents to exercise caution and avoid provoking a confrontation if they catch someone breaking into their home. Yost added that he doesn’t know what the gang will do now since the investigation and indictment are now public.
It’s the latest chapter in a story that has swept the nation since at least the beginning of September 2024.
The FBI got involved in late December when the total was up to at least nine professional athletes, including Burrow, Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, former Dallas Mavericks and current Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, among others, according to a report from ABC News.
Burrow was not home during the break-in and was instead playing against the Dallas Cowboys on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 14 of the 2024 NFL regular season.