California man admits to leading a $24 million crime tourism theft operation

California Man Pleads Guilty to Running Crime Tourism Operation

A man from California recently confessed to leading a cross-border “crime tourism” organization that rented out illegal vehicles for foreign thieves, helping them steal nearly $24 million in luxury goods.

Juan Carlos “Pacero” Torra-Duran, aged 59, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Monday. He was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, interstate receipt and transportation of stolen property, money laundering, and structuring transactions to evade federal reporting requirements, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Prosecutors detailed how Torra-Duran collaborated with his then-girlfriend, Ana María Arriagada, to set up a false car rental service named Driver Power Rentals (DPR) out of Van Nuys. Arriagada was recognized as the company’s registered owner and has already pleaded guilty to four felonies related to the case last year.

While operating under this fake business, Torra-Duran directed associates—often members of a South American crime ring—to commit theft across the U.S. This included everything from shoplifting to breaking and entering, and even fraud involving stolen credit and debit cards.

Torra-Duran and Arriagada supplied their accomplices with vehicles registered under DPR, advising them to use fake identities for rental agreements that seemed legitimate. They even guided the thieves to swiftly use stolen cards at stores like Target and Best Buy, quickly purchasing high-end electronics and designer items before the cards could be frozen.

After the thefts, the stolen items were to be sent to either Torra-Duran or another co-conspirator, who acted as a “fence” to sell the goods for a profit. Prosecutors noted that Torra-Duran reportedly profited over $5.7 million from these operations, with about $5.2 million coming from electronics sales linked to DPR.

On top of the thefts, both Torra-Duran and Arriagada were involved in fraudulently acquiring around $250,000 in COVID-19 business relief loans, which they used to buy assets such as real estate and horses.

To avoid detection, the group attempted to withdraw funds in increments of $10,000, which is a strategy to evade federal reporting requirements. Prosecutors indicated that Torra-Duran’s actions negatively impacted at least 37 victims, leading to approximately $23.9 million in losses.

Two other co-defendants, Patricia Enderton, 45, and Federico Jorge Triebel IV, 79, have pleaded not guilty and will face trial later this year. Torra-Duran could potentially face up to 55 years behind bars when sentenced in the months ahead.

This guilty plea marks the fourth secured by federal prosecutors in the case, which includes charges against seven individuals linked to this crime tourism operation. Since 2019, law enforcement has arrested over 130 suspects involved in similar crimes, many of whom used vehicles supplied by Driver Power Rentals.

Authorities previously noted that these criminal operations were conducted with a level of organization comparable to major commercial delivery services, disrupting the sense of safety in communities.