3 new arrests made in connection with South American burglary ring, court documents show

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Three more suspected members of what investigators describe as a South American burglary ring were arrested in Fort Bend County last week, according to court documents.

Angel Gomez-Velez, Marvin Riascos-Celoria, and Jordy Torres-Corrales were arrested on March 6 after more than a month of surveillance.

Records show that Riascos-Celoria and Torres-Corrales are both listed as Colombian nationals in court documents.

The investigation into the three men began Jan. 31 when deputies say they broke into the homes of two next-door neighbors near Fulshear.

SEE ORIGINAL STORY: South American theft ring linked to string of break-ins across Houston area, police say

Surveillance video led them to the suspects' SUV, and investigators used license plate readers to track them to other Fort Bend County neighborhoods.

Investigators say they saw the SUV circling the Fieldstone subdivision on March 4, allegedly looking for new homes to break into.

Deputies say the vehicle then met up with another vehicle in the Westheimer Lakes North subdivision for what they describe as more "pre-burglary surveillance."

Two days later, deputies say they pulled both vehicles over and found face coverings, gloves, window punches, pry bars, and screwdrivers inside.

Torres-Corrales and Gomez-Vellez were previously convicted of burglary in Harris County in 2022. Court documents at the time said they were working together as part of a burglary ring.

Torres-Corrales was sentenced to three years in prison but was paroled after serving only one year, according to court documents.

Gomez-Vellez was given five years' probation as part of a deferred adjudication deal, but records show his probation was terminated three years early.

All three men are charged with criminal conspiracy - burglary of habitation.

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