COLLIN COUNTY – The ringleader of a Houston-based robbery ring that targeted 10 people of Asian, South Asian and Middle Eastern descent for gold, jewelry and cash was sentenced to 37 years in prison for organized criminal activity. I received it.
Sergio Cárdenas Salinas, 30, of Houston, led a group of robbers from Guatemala, Honduras and Venezuela in high-profile home invasions across Collin County.
The crimes occurred between July and September 2023 in Plano, Prosper, and McKinney.
“Collin County will not tolerate criminal illegal aliens targeting law-abiding citizens,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in a statement. “Cárdenas Salinas had no right to be in this county, let alone this country. This lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message that we will protect our communities from those who come to commit crimes. ”
Willis’ office said the robbers targeted a home believed to contain a large amount of cash and valuables.
Plano police linked the suspects to the suspects through vehicle tracking, phone records and surveillance footage. Nine people involved in the robbery were ultimately arrested, according to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said Cárdenas-Salinas had been deported twice and returned illegally, giving instructions on targeted homes and how to distribute the stolen gold. He had previously been convicted of attempted murder and served a six-month prison sentence.
