Five men are behind bars after a massive technology heist from Miami International Airport – stealing over 23,000 iPhones valued in the millions.
Police arrested 33-year-old Yoan Perez, 36-year-old Rodolfo Urra, 37-year-old Misael Cabrera, 45-year-old Rasiel Perez and 42-year-old Eloy Garcia after an investigation into the April 2nd robbery from the Lan Cargo area at the airport.
The men all face federal charges for the heist – with the phones valued at almost $6.7 million. The phones were destined for Central and South America.
Urra was involved in a 2012 case with three other men where they were charged with stealing a truck loaded with $2.5 million in cell phones and perfume from a cargo business in Northwest Miami-Dade.
Another man, 54-year-old Joaquin Rivas, was arrested and charged in the case in late April.
The five men arrested this week appeared before a federal judge on Tuesday.
Cabrera's attorney said he wasn't involved.
"What happens when you have multiple defendants, you know, you arrest 8-10 people, you always get one or two that really had nothing to do with it," attorney Joseph Chambrot said.
"Who in their right minds would steal Chinese phones?" said Yoan Perez's attorney, Alexander Michael. "My client is presumed innocent, denies the allegation and we're looking forward to going to trial."
A judge set bond at at least $50,000 for the suspects.
Courtesy of our news partner at NBC Miami
