The alleged leader ““Porch Pirate” ring and 13 other crew members were charged Monday, the Suffolk County district attorney said.
A “sophisticated criminal organization of 'porch pirates'” targeted FedEx packages containing electronic devices in 31 communities stretching from Huntington to Montauk. District Attorney Ray Tierney the statement says.
More than 200 AT&T and Verizon phones were stolen as part of the scheme – some right after they were abandoned.
Prosecutors say the group obtained information such as rack numbers, delivery addresses and recipient names through hacking to plan when to steal packages. In other cases, the delivery address was changed to make it even easier to steal items.
Several of the thefts, which occurred between October 2023 and February 2025, were captured on video surveillance at the victims' homes. the officials said.
The stolen phones were hidden in the Bronx, sold to a fencer and then sold to various wholesalers operating domestically and internationally, officials said.
“For two years, this alleged gang of porch pirates has stalked our community and built a criminal enterprise on the backs of Suffolk families and businesses,” Tierney said in a statement.
“They were specifically targeting these cell phone units with the goal of taking them and then bringing them to the Bronx, and a location in the Bronx would pay top dollar for these phones.”
Andrikson Jerez, the 29-year-old accused ringleader, was indicted on corporate corruption, grand theft, conspiracy and other charges. His bond was set at $75,000. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of corporate corruption.
The remaining 13 defendants are accused of delivering packages for Jerez or distributing the devices.
