Colombian National Pleads Guilty in Multi-State Burglary Ring Targeting Asian-American Business Owners

Jhon Alexander Quintero, a 45-year-old Colombian national who entered the United States unlawfully and operated under the alias Edwin Andres Cadena-Pineda, pleaded guilty March 31 in U.S. District Court in Oregon to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods, federal prosecutors announced. His conviction ties him to a seven-person burglary ring that crossed state lines, used signal-jamming technology to disable alarm systems, and deliberately selected Asian-American business owners as targets across Oregon and Washington.

The ring's methods were methodical and tech-assisted. According to federal charging documents, group members rented short-term housing as operational bases, conducted perimeter counter-surveillance before striking, and communicated during operations. When they moved on a target, they shattered glass doors for forced entry after the jamming equipment had already neutralized the alarms. Stolen goods included U.S. and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, and travel documents.

Quintero faces a statutory maximum of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing will account for his specific role in the conspiracy, criminal history, and other factors under federal guidelines.

The prosecution grew out of a coordinated, multi-agency operation. Eugene Police Department investigators worked alongside the FBI and other local and federal partners throughout the inquiry. Local law enforcement referred to the arrests, which occurred last October, as "Skyline 7," a nod to the scope of the coordinated takedown that netted all seven suspects.

The burglaries hit Eugene's Asian-American community hard. Investigators noted that the ring's pattern, particularly the deliberate selection of victims based on ethnicity and business ownership, elevated concern beyond ordinary property crime. Police and community advocates held forums and outreach sessions in response, urging victims and witnesses to report suspicious activity and engage with victim-assistance resources.

Quintero's guilty plea is one piece of a still-unfolding prosecution. Federal authorities indicated that cases against co-conspirators are continuing, as is investigation into the trafficking of stolen property across state lines. The case demonstrates how sustained cooperation between Eugene police, federal prosecutors, and the FBI can dismantle organized rings that exploit both mobility and technology to evade detection, and it puts other multi-state theft operations on notice that local investigations can have federal reach.