State charges have been brought against three men involved in the break-in at the residence of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow last December.
The males were charged with a first-degree crime of engaging in a pattern of corrupt action and a second-degree felony of burglary, according to a statement made by Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich on Wednesday, February 12. The allegations, according to the prosecution, are related to an organized crime ring that has committed burglaries in several states.
“We will prosecute you if you commit a crime in Hamilton County,” Pillich stated in a press statement that PEOPLE was able to get. “We will hold those responsible accountable because organized crime has no place in our communities.”
When the suspects broke into Burrow’s Ohio home on December 9, he was playing for the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, Texas. According to ABC News, federal charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and falsification of records were pending against Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello at the time of their arrest.
Photos from a suspect’s phone that show the three guys posing with what are thought to be Burrow’s personal goods, such as pricey jewelry, purses, and an LSU t-shirt, are part of the evidence against them. According to the site, prosecutors claimed that over $300,000 worth of goods were taken from the famous football player’s house. Prosecutors informed ABC News that the photos were discovered on January 10 after a car was stopped for a traffic infraction in Clark County, Ohio.
During the press event, Pillich stated that the males are thought to be from Chile and entered the country lawfully.
According to ABC News, she stated, “They seem to be involved in numerous thefts and burglaries in many jurisdictions, and they are by no means the only individuals who do this sort of work.” Pillich cautioned that there might be more members of the purported crime ring out there.
In a news statement provided to PEOPLE, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost stated, “Our task forces are the kryptonite that brings organized crime to its knees.” “With the assistance of our partners, task-force agents under our Organized Crime Investigations Commission are among the best in their field and excel at obtaining justice for Ohioans.”
When questioned by reporters about the break-in at a January Bengals press conference, Burrow stated that he believed his “privacy has been violated in more ways than one.”
“Way more is already out there than I would want out there and that I care to share, so that’s all I’ve got to say about that,” Burrow stated to the press.
Two months after the residences of Chiefs players Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes were broken into within 48 hours of one another, the break-in occurred amid a spate of robberies that appeared to target elite sports.
In November 2024, many sources told ABC News and Fox 4 Kansas City that the spate of robberies, which have also targeted NHL players in Pennsylvania, NBA stars in Minnesota, and Massachusetts, might be connected to a South American criminal organization.
