A crew of sophisticated porch pirates used insider information to track FedEx deliveries and swipe hundreds of valuable packages from Long Islanders for nearly two years, New York prosecutors claimed in a sweeping indictment.
Fourteen people have been accused in the scheme, which targeted cellphone deliveries across Long Island from October 2023 to February 2025, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced fourteen people have been accused in the scheme. Dennis A. Clark
The thieves allegedly got inside info about deliveries.
The thieves allegedly leveraged inside info about deliveries — including tracking numbers, recipient names, package contents and delivery schedules — to swipe boxes of expensive electronics from the front porches of numerous homes within moments of the deliveries being made.
Most of the packages were shipped through FedEx from Verizon and AT&T, with their delivery systems likely being digitally infiltrated by the suspected thieves, according to prosecutors.
“We believe that information was hacked,” Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney said.
The crooks would then ferry their stolen merchandise to a series of stash houses in the Bronx, where the items would be inventoried and sold off to wholesalers in the US and abroad.
“For two years, this alleged porch pirate ring plagued our community and built a criminal enterprise on the backs of Suffolk families and businesses,” Tierney said in a statement.
“These indictments demonstrate that we will track down and hold accountable those who commit crimes against Suffolk County residents, regardless of how extensive their operation.”
The scheme is believed to have been run by Andricson Jerez, 29, who would give orders to his cronies using encrypted messaging systems, according to prosecutors.
His own father — 48-year-old Juan Baez — was also allegedly in on the scheme, and would help deliver the stolen phones and electronics to buyers.
It remains unclear who was behind the possible hacking that obtained the privileged intel, but prosecutors believe it was a highly skilled person.
“It requires a certain level of sophistication,” Tierney said.
The scheme is believed to be run by Andricson Jerez, 29.
More than 30 Long Island towns were targeted during the scheme.
More than 30 Long Island towns were targeted during the scheme — and things allegedly became violent at times.
In one incident, a FedEx delivery driver was apparently shoved by Luger Guerrero, 26, and a crew of thieves who then stole a package containing 15 tablets.
In another encounter, a package was allegedly ripped away from a homeowner by Felipe Batista, 22.
And in at least one instance, Leonel Tejeda Reynoso, 32, is believed to have used a fake ID to collect a package with a tablet worth over $1,000 from a Melville FedEx center.
The defendants face 50 charges for robbery, enterprise corruption, conspiracy and larceny related to the scheme.
Jerez, the alleged ringleader, faces up to 25 years if convicted.