5th Man Convicted in Connection to Farmingville Armed Robbery

A fifth man has been convicted in connection with the armed robbery of an occupied Farmingville home in 2016, prosectors said.

Luis Garcia, 36, of Commack, was convicted by a jury last week of burglary in the first degree, a B felony, and robbery in the first degree, a B felony, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini said. Garcia has been identified by law enforcement as a Bloods gang member.

“These individuals thought they were targeting the home of a drug dealer in an attempt to score drugs and money,” Sini said. “Instead, they ended up terrorizing a family in their home, threatening to kill them and stealing their belongings. This was a traumatizing experience for the victims that no family should have to endure. Through excellent investigation and prosecution, all five defendants are now being held accountable for this heinous crime.”

On Aug. 4, 2016, Garcia and four co-defendants, armed with at least one firearm, forcibly entered the home located at 17 Chestnut Avenue in Farmingville, prosecutors said.

The four co-defendants are Jason Montello, 40, of Bay Shore; Paul Torres, 45, of Middle Island; Anthony Capuano, 41, of Selden; and Ray Pena, 24, of Port Jefferson Station.

The men mistakenly targeted the home believing it to be the home of a drug dealer.

A woman who was present in the home entered the kitchen after hearing a noise and was confronted by two of the men, who proceeded to drag her down the hallway of the home by her hair to the master bedroom. The men then demanded drugs and money from the victim and threatened to kill her family and their two dogs, prosecutors said.

The men stole a number of items from the home, including jewelry, purses and electronics.

Garcia was located and arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department within an hour after the incident.

Montello and Torres were convicted by a jury on Nov. 17, 2017, of two counts of burglary in the first degree; three counts of burglary in the second degree; two counts of robbery in the first degree; and two counts of robbery in the second degree. Montello was sentenced on April 16, 2018, to 25 years to life in prison. Torres was sentenced on April 10, 2018, to 24 years to life in prison.

Capuano pleaded guilty on July 14, 2017, to 35 criminal charges in connection with the Farmingville home invasion, a second unrelated home invasion, and an unrelated robbery. He was sentenced on Jan. 24, 2018, to 14 years in prison.

Pena pleaded guilty on May 8, 2018, to two counts of burglary in the first degree; three counts of burglary in the second degree; two counts of robbery in the first degree; two counts of robbery in the second degree; and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Garcia faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei on October 31.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ferron Lien and Kimberly Shalvey, of the Major Crime Bureau.

Photo: Suffolk County District Attorney