Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that OSCAR RIOS, a/k/a “Oski,” was sentenced to 115 months in prison for his coordination of an August 29, 2020 armed home invasion robbery in the Bronx, New York. RIOS pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery on October 6, 2021 before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan, who imposed today’s sentence.
RIOS’s co-defendants, SHAWN GARCIA, a/k/a “Ralph Porter,” and SUTHA TAYLOR, a/k/a “Sutha Colon,” carried out the robbery and also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. GARCIA and TAYLOR were previously sentenced to 96 months and 121 months in prison, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Oscar Rios coordinated a violent home invasion robbery that resulted in one victim being shot and another victim being threatened at gunpoint. The sentences imposed in this case send a clear message that those who plan and carry out such violent crimes will pay a heavy price.”
According to public filings and statements made in court:
On or about August 29, 2020, RIOS orchestrated an armed home invasion robbery of an apartment in the Bronx, New York (the “Apartment”), which co-defendants GARCIA and TAYLOR, along with a third co-conspirator (“CC-3”), carried out. Shortly before the robbery took place, RIOS communicated with other uncharged co-conspirators to lure a resident (“Victim-1”) out of the Apartment. Once RIOS learned that Victim-1 was about to leave, he informed GARCIA and TAYLOR via text message to commit the robbery.
When Victim-1 opened the door to the Apartment, GARCIA, TAYLOR, and CC-3 ran into the Apartment and physically assaulted Victim-1, including by striking Victim-1 in the head several times with at least one firearm. During this time, RIOS remained in a nearby building to serve as a lookout. While the assault on Victim-1 was in progress, another resident of the Apartment (“Victim-2”) was thrown into the bathroom and ordered to remain there. Victim-1 was then shot in the buttocks. After the shooting, one of the robbers placed a dark garment over Victim-2’s head and demanded to know where Victim-1 kept his safe, which contained proceeds from Victim-1’s marijuana sales. Shortly thereafter, RIOS texted GARCIA and TAYLOR to inform them that the area was clear for them to flee. GARCIA, TAYLOR, and CC-3 then fled the Apartment, stealing a safe with cash proceeds from Victim-1’s marijuana sales, as well as other items found in the Apartment.
As a result of the assault and shooting, Victim-1 was hospitalized for several days.
In addition to the prison term, RIOS, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and NYPD, in particular, the Strategic Patterned Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (“SPARTA”) Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the ATF and the NYPD.
~3.jpg)
