Updated July 12, 2019
On Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced that three men accused of stealing $510,000 from an armored car on Long Island on November 2, 2018 have pleaded guilty.
The heist was an inside job perpetrated by armored car driver Alexis Laguerra, 30, Raymond Soto Jr., aka “Rambo”, 28, and his father Raymond Soto Sr., aka “Razor”, 48.
Laguerra was an employee of GardaWorld, a Montreal-based armored car company with a local branch in West Hempstead.
According to prosecutors, all three men are members of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club, and Soto Jr. is the club’s enforcer. Soto Jr. served two years in state prison for gang assault.
The armored car heist
According to authorities, the armored car was stolen around 2:30 a.m. while Laguerra and his partner were inside the HSBC Bank branch at 260 West Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream. When the armored car was recovered nearby, three bags of cash each containing $170,000 were missing.
Laguerra used a burner phone (an iPhone 5) to exchange text messages with Soto Jr. throughout the night of the theft. For example, at 9:52 p.m., Laguerra texted Soto Jr. the address of the bank, and that he would be there around 2-3 a.m.
Soto Jr. instructed Laguerra to throw away the phone, but he kept it and investigators were later able to retrieve the text messages.
Soto Sr. was driving a black Range Rover when he dropped off his son near the bank shortly before the armored car was stolen.
Soto Jr. was later observed “carrying a large duffel bag over his shoulder in the manner of Santa Claus” on his way back to the getaway car, according to the complaint filed in this case.
Authorities recovered $130,000 from the Sotos’ residence.
The guilty pleas
Laguerra, Soto Jr., and Soto Sr. each pled guilty to one count of bank larceny which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Soto Jr. and Laguerra were originally charged with obstruction of justice for conspiring to destroy text messages relating to the theft.
Soto Jr.’s plea deal includes a sentencing range of 21 to 27 months in prison, restitution of $510,000, and a maximum fine of $250,000.
He was briefly labeled a fugitive before surrendering to FBI agents in January.
Soto Jr.’s bail conditions include a $1 million bond, home incarceration, electronic monitoring, and no contact with any known gang members. His bail conditions were adjusted in March to allow him to leave home to seek employment.
Soto Sr. and Laguerra are also free on bail.
All three men are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sandra Feuerstein on November 20.