Ex-cop gets 4 years for role in robbery & extortion scheme
By The Star Staff
U.S. District Judge Francisco A. Besosa sentenced former Puerto Rico police officer Carlos Boyrie Laboy on Tuesday to 48 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his role in a robbery and extortion conspiracy.
Boyrie Laboy conspired with Sgt. Miguel Conde Vellón and officer Luis Rodríguez García on multiple occasions to illegally enter premises, detain individuals, and steal property while in their official capacity as Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) officers. Boyrie Laboy was found guilty on Dec. 6, 2021 following a one-week jury trial, according to a statement.
Conde Vellón and Rodríguez García pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
Federal prosecutors established at trial that on Dec. 29, 2016, Conde Vellón, Rodríguez García and Boyrie Laboy, while acting in their official capacity as PRPD officers and carrying firearms, made an unauthorized, forced entry into a residence located in the Duque Ward in Naguabo, which they believed to be the stash house location utilized by a purported illegal seller of pyrotechnics, according to the statement.
The defendants searched the residence, located and took possession of the following pyrotechnics: two boxes of fireworks each containing 40 pieces of generic fireworks, two boxes each containing 53 pieces of Thunder Max fireworks, one box containing 18 pieces of Premiere FWK fireworks, and $2,995 in U.S. currency, which they believed to be proceeds of illegal activity from the person and presence of a confidential source without lawful authority. In fact, the pyrotechnics and money stolen by the defendants was the property of the United States, with a combined value in excess of $1,000.
On or about June 15, 2017, Conde Vellón, Rodríguez García, Boyrie Laboy and Quermie Márquez Rivera, while again acting in their official capacity as PRPD officers and carrying firearms, made an unauthorized, forced entry into a residence located in the Calabazas Ward in Yabucoa, which they believed to be the stash house location utilized by a purported illegal seller of stolen electronic equipment.
The defendants searched the residence in order to locate and steal cash and property belonging to the purported illegal seller of electronic equipment. They found and stole two Samsung tablets, and $6,350 in U.S. currency, which they believed to be proceeds of illegal activity from a confidential informant without lawful authority. In fact, the electronic equipment and money stolen by the defendants was the property of the United States, with a combined value in excess of $1,000.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Humacao Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy handled the prosecution of the case.