Riverhead, NY - Sept. 28, 2018 - Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini today announced the trial conviction of a fifth co-defendant in connection with the armed robbery of an occupied Farmingville home in 2016.
“These individuals thought they were targeting the home of a drug dealer in an attempt to score drugs and money,” District Attorney Sini said. “Instead, they ended up terrorizing a family in their home, threatening to kill them and stealing their belongings. This was a traumatizing experience for the victims that no family should have to endure. Through excellent investigation and prosecution, all five defendants are now being held accountable for this heinous crime.”
Luis Garcia, 36, of Commack, was convicted by a jury yesterday of Burglary in the First Degree, a B felony, and Robbery in the First Degree, a B felony. Garcia has been identified by law enforcement as a Bloods gang member.
On August 4, 2016, the defendant and four co-defendants, armed with at least one firearm, forcibly entered a residence located on Chestnut Avenue in Farmingville. The four co-defendants are Jason Montello, 40, of Bay Shore; Paul Torres, 45, of Middle Island; Anthony Capuano, 41, of Selden; and Ray Pena, 24, of Port Jefferson Station.
The defendants mistakenly targeted the residence believing it to be the home of a drug dealer.
A woman who was present in the residence entered the kitchen after hearing a noise and was confronted by two of the defendants, who proceeded to drag her down the hallway of the home by her hair to the master bedroom. The defendants then demanded drugs and money from the victim and threatened to kill her family and their two dogs.
The defendants stole a number of items from the home, including jewelry, purses and electronics.
Garcia was located and arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department within an hour after the incident.
Montello and Torres were convicted by a jury on November 17, 2017, of two counts of Burglary in the First Degree; three counts of Burglary in the Second Degree; two counts of Robbery in the First Degree; and two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree. Montello was sentenced on April 16, 2018, to 25 years to life in prison. Torres was sentenced on April 10, 2018, to 24 years to life in prison.
Capuano pleaded guilty on July 14, 2017, to 35 criminal charges in connection with the Farmingville home invasion, a second unrelated home invasion, and an unrelated robbery. He was sentenced on January 24, 2018, to 14 years in prison.
Pena pleaded guilty on May 8, 2018, to two counts of Burglary in the First Degree; three counts of Burglary in the Second Degree; two counts of Robbery in the First Degree; two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree; and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Garcia faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei on October 31.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ferron Lien and Kimberly Shalvey, of the Major Crime Bureau.