Grady Judd: 'Very violent' gang members, associates arrested in organized retail theft ring

FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Five illegal immigrants suspected of dozens of crimes in Central Florida as part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua face charges after a months-long investigation, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced Friday.

The backstory:

At a news conference, Judd said the investigation dates back to October 2024 when Publix noticed a trend of people stealing high-end liquor from stores in Central Florida.

Judd said investigators also received reports of similar thefts from Walmart and Sam's Club.

Pictured: Sheriff Grady Judd speaks at a news conference on April 18, 2025.

The cases range from theft to armed robbery, with 32 cases in Polk County and four involving other agencies, according to Judd.

READ: What is Tren de Aragua?

The five suspects have been identified as:

Alexis Jose Rodriguez-Benavides
Darwins Smith Vasquez-Leon
Ildemaro Miguel Escalona Mendoza
Ramon Jesus Carpintero-Luna
Samuel Oglis David Anthony Charlie

Dig deeper:

Judd said the crime that helped investigators identify the suspects happened in early March at Sam's Club in north Lakeland. There's where Judd says the suspects tried to steal a shopping cart filled with liquor valued at $3,200.

The group injured a worker who grabbed the cart to stop them, according to Judd, and took off in a car that became disabled in the parking lot before getting away in an Uber.

Investigators said a search of the car uncovered stolen liquor, cellphones, and a passport. Once the suspects were identified, law enforcement discovered that two of them were already in custody for a different robbery in Osceola County. Warrants were issued for the other three suspects, who were arrested on Thursday night, PCSO said.

READ: High school head football coach arrested for inappropriate behavior with students: PCSO

What they're saying:

During Friday's news conference, Judd talked about Tren de Aragua, a gang that the State Department recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

"I can tell you that this violent gang was alive and well in Central Florida," Judd said.

He also talked about illegal immigration, commending state lawmakers for passing tough new legislation earlier this year while sharing strong words for those he described as "criminal illegal aliens."

"They are tormenting and terrorizing and stealing and robbing and murdering people," Judd said.

Pictured: Sheriff Grady Judd speaks at a news conference on April 18, 2025, showing a gun he says one of the suspects in an organized retail theft ring possessed.

What's next:

The suspects face enhanced charges due to their immigration status, according to Judd.

In addition to organized retail theft and robbery charges, investigators are also working to charge the suspects with racketeering, which carries a 30-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.

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The Source: This story was written with information from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

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