An illegal immigrant has been detained in connection with a high-end burglary in Florida, after investigators claim he took off an ankle monitor meant to track his movements and embarked on a two-year crime spree throughout the country.
The backstory: According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, a high-end house burglary occurred in 2023, and police were able to gather DNA samples from the crime scene.
The DNA samples were uploaded to CODIS, a national database used by law enforcement to trace down perpetrators.
Initially, detectives claimed there was no DNA match, but in 2024, Jean Stefano Merinovejar, 35, was arrested in Miami-Dade County on similar burglary charges, resulting in the match.
The MCSO stated that it promptly requested an arrest warrant, but Merinovejar was released from the Krome Detention Center owing to a shortage of bed space.
Dig deeper: He was given an ankle monitor to track his movements, but he removed it, allowing him to elude capture and continue committing crimes, according to MCSO.
In October 2024, Washington detained Merinovejar once more. He was charged with criminal use of personal identification but was later released.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office recently detained him in Nevada for the criminal use of false identification, according to the MCSO. Officials there alerted the Martin County Sheriff’s Office about the outstanding warrant.
The MCSO Fugitive Warrants Unit drove to Nevada on Monday and apprehended Merinovejar, who was extradited back to Martin County.
Detectives stated he attempted to flee their custody but was unsuccessful.
Merinovejar is being held in Martin County Jail on a $500,000 bond and an ICE detainer.