He was the final man standing from a prolific financial institution heist crew that prosecutors say made off with tens of millions throughout a string of robberies up and down the West Coast.
Then he allegedly bombed an ATM in Contra Costa County.
The person, recognized as Diego Ananias Arellano Diaz, was arrested and charged with financial institution theft and conspiracy to commit financial institution theft, federal prosecutors introduced Thursday.
For a number of months, he was listed in courtroom information solely as “John Doe 2,” an alleged member of a South American theft group that authorities say carried out robberies in California, Oregon and Washington.
The crew focused ATMs and banks. They stayed in Airbnb leases close to their targets and have been armed with development vests, sledgehammers, blowtorches and surgical masks, in accordance with courtroom paperwork.
The crew wielded sign jammers to intervene with Wi-Fi-enabled safety methods, spray painted over safety digital camera lenses and used rental automobiles secured on the black market. They carried out their heists between Might and October 2024, in accordance with federal prosecutors within the U.S. lawyer’s workplace for the Japanese District of California.
The crew stole greater than $4 million in money, prosecutors say.
A federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants on expenses of financial institution theft and conspiracy to commit financial institution theft on Oct. 31. All of the defendants have been named, aside from Arellano Diaz. He was listed as “John Doe 2” in a separate criticism.
Most of the named defendants have been arrested in California, Florida and Chile, and their tools was seized at an Airbnb in Welches, Ore., that the FBI stated was getting used because the crew’s base of operations.
Brokers recovered toolboxes and different tools from the rental unit, authorities stated.
Throughout a assessment of the gadgets April 29, FBI brokers pulled clothes that could possibly be examined for DNA. Brokers additionally discovered a GoPro video digital camera with a reminiscence card inside.
After securing a warrant to go looking the digital camera’s reminiscence card in early Might, FBI brokers found a number of video information that included one of many named defendants within the case, Camilo Guzman Sepulveda. Brokers additionally discovered a picture of Arellano Diaz, who at that time was nonetheless unidentified.
That picture underwent facial recognition evaluation, and the next day a match was made to Arellano Diaz, in accordance with courtroom paperwork.
His identify was added to an arrest warrant, however that remained underneath seal whereas he was nonetheless at giant.
In accordance with prosecutors, Arellano Diaz — who was utilizing the identify Fabio Hernandez — was initially arrested in Los Angeles County in February and charged with assault with a lethal weapon on a firefighter or police officer. He was launched on a $75,000 surety bond, after which he vanished.
On July 20, police within the Bay Space metropolis of San Ramon recognized Arellano Diaz as the person they suspected of blowing up an ATM at a neighborhood Goal retailer.
He was arrested Tuesday in Newport Seaside, authorities stated.
