Trio accused of stealing over $100K in Ruston and Monroe ATM burglaries

MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On March 26, 2024, Monroe Police began an investigation into ATM burglaries at two Centric Federal Credit Union branches on Sterlington Road and Pecanland Road. During the investigation, officers learned that a silver Toyota Corolla arrived at the branch on Pecanland Road on February 25, 2024, around 9:59 PM.

According to court documents, officers learned that one of the passengers in the rear driver seat of the car, later identified as Anthony Jesus Montes Vera, exited the vehicle and allegedly opened the top portion of the ATM. Vera then allegedly removed hard drives and attached a cell phone to the computer inside the ATM.

After multiple attempts to manipulate the ATM, the suspect vehicle returned and one of the suspects exited the car to remove all the hardware that the crew allegedly attached to the computer inside the ATM. Around 11:13 PM, the vehicle arrived at the branch on Sterlington Road and the front passenger, Gamenzo Daniel Charris-Rada, exited the car and allegedly opened the ATM, attaching a mobile phone to the computer inside the ATM.

According to authorities, the vehicle returned multiple times and eventually removed all added hardware to the ATM. On February 26, 2024, Ruston Police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle near the intersection of LA 33 and Celebrity Drive. Charris-Rada then spoke with officers in Spanish and provided an address in Dallas, Texas.

Minutes after the traffic stop, the vehicle was seen at a Centric Federal Credit Union on Eagle Drive in Ruston, La. Charris-Rada was seen exiting the car bearing a different license plate. Charris-Rada allegedly opened the ATM and tampered with the ATM computer before the vehicle left the scene.

On March 4, 2024, the Monroe Police Department began investigating an ATM burglary at the Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union on Louisville Avenue. During the investigation, authorities learned that Charris-Rada and Semir Mugues Mendoza opened the door of the ATM and manipulated the hard drive for the computer that operates the ATM.

Authorities concluded that Charris-Rada, Montes Vera, and Mendoza were the suspects in approximately five burglaries at Centric Federal Credit Union ATMs. Charris-Rada and Mendoza were named as the suspects in the ATM burglary at Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union.

According to court documents, the suspects allegedly stole over $100,000 during the burglaries. Authorities were able to link the suspects to multiple ATM burglaries in the region from North Carolina to Texas and as far as Michigan. Mendoza was allegedly working as an installer during the Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union burglary and he was seen on video wearing the same hoodie as he wore during the other burglaries.

Authorities mentioned that Mendoza was a member of a Venezuelan street gang and Charris-Rada belonged to a Columbian gang. On April 15, 2024, Mendoza was arrested for burglary-related offenses and his bond was set at $300,000.