Victor Parra, the leader of a moped gang responsible for a wave of cell phone thefts in Manhattan, was sentenced to two to six years in prison after pleading guilty to grand larceny. His crew targeted unsuspecting victims, stealing over two dozen phones, which they used to extract money from bank accounts. The investigation into Parra's activities led to uncovering a broader conspiracy involving illegal firearms sales. Parra, who evaded capture for three months last year, was ultimately arrested for a helmet violation upon returning to New York.
"This ring snatched more than two dozen cell phones in Manhattan, and now its ringleader is being held accountable," Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
According to prosecutors, Parra sent his migrant gang out on mopeds to snatch phones from a Bronx apartment, then would pay for them and use them to steal money from the victims' bank accounts.
Parra, a Venezuelan immigrant, got away when cops moved in on his Bronx headquarters last year, and hid out in Chicago and Miami for three months before sneaking back into the Big Apple - where he was finally nabbed on a helmet violation.
The investigation into Parra's crew led to a major gun conspiracy case last month linked to the violent Venezuelan street gangs.
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