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Santiago Camargo-Rojas, 24, Steven Rugeles, 30, and Nicholas Buitrago-Grillo, 23, have all remained held in the Bergen County Jail since their arrests on Tuesday, July 18.
ICE officials obtained holds on all three so that a federal immigration judge in Newark can determine whether all or any of them are living in the United States legally or must be deported.
The trio targeted homes in affluent areas, often on or near dead ends or cul-de-sacs in early evening hours for nearly four months, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
They’d sometimes pose as delivery workers “to ensure the residence was unoccupied,” the prosecutor said.
“Once inside, they would remove high-end designer items, jewelry, and cash from the residence,” he said.
Detectives from Musella’s Special Investigation Squad teamed up with local police in Saddle River, Paramus, Alpine, Fair Lawn, Woodcliff Lake, Glen Rock, Norwood, Closter and Cresskill to identify and capture the three men, with help from the FBI and police in Elizabeth.
Search warrants at two locations in Elizabeth turned up “an abundance” of items stolen from home in the various towns, the prosecutor noted.
Detectives also found fraudulent government documents, including driver’s licenses and passports, at both spots, he said.
Rugeles was charged with two dozen offenses, including receiving stolen property, burglary conspiracy and possession of bogus government documents.
Camargo-Rojas was charged with receiving, conspiracy and possession of the same documents, as well as money laundering and possession of burglary tools.
Buitrago-Grillo was charged with receiving, conspiracy, money laundering and possession of the phony documents.
Musella thanked the FBI and police in the various towns for their assistance.
ICE, meanwhile, is planning hearings before an immigration judge in U.S. District Court in Newark.
If a local judge in Hackensack orders any of the defendants released for some reason -- say, bail reform -- ICE has requested 48-hour notice so federal authorities can take custody.
Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton has honored such requests when defendants have been charged with or convicted of felonies.
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