12 sentenced in crypto scheme that included violent home invasions, including one in Durham

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Florida man convicted in June for his role in a scheme involving a series of home invasion robberies targeting cryptocurrency was sentenced to 47 years in prison on Wednesday, the US Department of Justice said.

The DOJ said on Friday that in all, 12 men have been sentenced this month for their role in the scheme.

One of the home invasions took place in April 2023 at a residence in Durham, where a couple was assaulted, threatened with guns, and restrained with plastic cable ties. The DOJ said Remy Ra St Felix, 25, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Elmer Ruben Castro, 23, also of West Palm Beach, were involved in that break-in. Before the invasion, they got unauthorized access to the couple's email account and did surveillance on the home for several days.

They then forced the man to provide access to his computer and cryptocurrency exchange account. The DOJ said another accomplice, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, 23, of West Palm Beach, then remotely accessed the couple's computer and stole more than $150,000.00 worth of cryptocurrency. They then laundered the funds through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies, as well as "instant exchanges" and decentralized finance platforms.

In all, St Felix and his accomplices stole more than $3.5 million from victims through home invasions in Florida, North Carolina, Texas and other areas. He was arrested in July 2023 when he went to Long Island, New York, to commit a home invasion.

St Felix was convicted on June 25 in Greensboro after a six-day trial. In addition to his 47-year sentence, St Felix was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.

The DOJ described him as the leader of the home invasion crew.

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Seemungal was also sentenced on Wednesday. He got 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $4,038,479.39 in restitution.

In February, Castro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1.

Other co-conspirators pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Jose Alfredo Avila, 27, of West Palm Beach, was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $365,100 in restitution.

Deangelo Lee Contreras, 21, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.

Haisel Daily, 22, of West Palm Beach. was sentenced last week to 25 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.

Victor Gonzalez, 27, of Houston was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.

Nathan Noel Quintana, 24, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced last week to 16 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $365,100 in restitution.

Ruben Matias Nicolopulos Silva, 22, of Lake Worth, Florida, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution.

Cristian Valdez, 21, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.

Jesus Gerardo Valdez Jr., 27, of Houston, was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution.

Jesus Manuel Santiago, III, 23, of West Palm Beach, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1.

The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices.