Man Found Guilty of Hobbs Act Robbery

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal jury convicted Jonathan Torres-Rojas on August 27, 2024, for Conspiracy to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Interference with Commerce by Robbery.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Torres-Rojas, along with at least one more individual, conspired to unlawfully take and obtain property consisting in U.S. currency from the business El Rejón del Gallo in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, which resulted in the death of José Antonio Medina Meléndez, the owner of El Rejón del Gallo.

On June 12, 2015, the defendant and others, met to discuss a plan to rob El Rejón del Gallo. That same day after 10 pm, Torres-Rojas and others arrived the business wearing black long-sleeved clothing, face masks, and carrying firearms. As the owner and wife were closing El Rejón del Gallo, the assailants approached the victims, grabbed one of the victims, and demanded money. Eventually, the victims gave the assailants the money, but the assailants demanded more. As the victims begged for their lives and complied, they told the assailants to take their vehicle when they demanded the keys for the 2001 gray Toyota Sequoia; then two shots were fired killing José Antonio Medina Meléndez.

The sentencing hearing was scheduled for December 6, 2024, at 9:00 AM.

The co-defendant in this case, Juan A. Negrón-Rodríguez, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2024, for interference with commerce by robbery and carjacking resulting in death. On July 9, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé sentenced Negrón-Rodríguez to 22 years (264 months) in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez Lora is prosecuting the case.

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