NYC Migrants Arrested for Shoplifting, Drugs Also Found

Three migrants residing in Manhattan's troubled Roosevelt Hotel were apprehended for engaging in a shoplifting spree in New Jersey, where they allegedly stole clothing, perfume, and other items totaling $5,300, according to authorities.

The suspects, identified as Dugleidy Gonzalez-Riera, 28, Yefferson Prieto-Galviz, 23, and Morelis Blanco-Cineros, 41, were arrested following a traffic stop in Wayne, New Jersey, on Valentine's Day.

NYC migrants busted in $5,300 shoplifting spree after traffic stop also turns up drugs: cops https://t.co/TkjqZgdVn0 via @nypmetro

— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) February 23, 2024

Police discovered drugs and stolen merchandise, including clothing, shoes, and fragrances from various stores such as Ulta, Kohl's, JC Penney, and Macy's, in their vehicle, said WPD Detective Captain Dan Daly.

Wayne police initiated the traffic stop after observing the car tailgating another vehicle and noticing that an occupant was not wearing a seatbelt. None of the individuals in the vehicle could provide a driver's license or communicate in English, and further investigation revealed that the license plate belonged to a different vehicle.

Upon searching the car, officers found drug paraphernalia and clothing items with store tags attached, matching those stolen from Ulta Beauty. The store confirmed the theft and provided images of the suspects, leading to their arrest.

Initially providing false identities, the suspects were later identified and charged with offenses including receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and shoplifting.

Prieto-Galviz and Blanco-Cineros also faced charges of hindering apprehension.

All three individuals resided at the Roosevelt Hotel, repurposed as a migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan.

Due to concerns about their flight risk, they are being held in custody at Passaic County Jail pending detention hearings.

New York City leased the Roosevelt Hotel from Pakistan in June for $220 million over three years to accommodate the surge of migrants arriving from the southern border.

The shelter, housing asylum seekers, has experienced overcrowding, leading some migrants to sleep on the ground or in parked cars. Numerous arrests have occurred at the hotel since it began housing migrants.