Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that four Bronx men have been indicted on multiple charges, including assault on a police officer, following a series of catalytic converter thefts in Suffolk County
The defendants, Henry Cruz, 25, Luis Acosta, 24, Jeorge Santana Sanchez, 34, and Madinson Silverio Ventura, 27, are accused of stealing parts from parked vehicles before leading police on a high-speed chase that ended with an officer seriously injured.
Prosecutors allege the group drove a 2021 Maserati Levante during the early morning hours of March 7th, 2026, targeting vehicles, often Toyota Prius models.
The suspects allegedly worked in coordinated roles, including acting as lookout, lifting vehicles, and cutting out catalytic converters with power tools before fleeing to find additional targets.
At about 4:37 a.m., police attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled, reaching speeds exceeding 90 mph on the Southern State Parkway. Officers deployed stop sticks, disabling the vehicle, after which the suspects fled on foot.
During the pursuit, an officer fell and suffered a fractured ankle requiring emergency surgery. Cruz and Acosta were arrested at the scene, while Santana Sanchez and Silverio Ventura were later apprehended at a Bronx hotel.
The defendants were arraigned April 1st before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei on multiple felony charges.
Bail was set, and all four remain in custody pending trial. They are due back in court May 6th and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
Authorities said the investigation involved Suffolk County Police detectives who tracked the remaining suspects after the initial arrests.
Officials emphasized that the defendants allegedly traveled from outside the county to commit the crimes, vowing continued enforcement efforts against similar theft rings targeting local communities and vehicles across Long Island neighborhoods this year and beyond.