Five individuals, including four illegal immigrants, were involved in an incident at a New York City Target store that led to the arrest of the group. The suspects, identified as Venezuelan citizens Michael Jose Sanchez Mayo, Henry Omar Zambrano Zapata, Yusneibi Yohana Machado Avila, and Colombian Sebastian Jaramillio Balanta, were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the alleged robbery on the Upper East Side.
ICE confirmed that the four individuals were arrested for violating their DHS release conditions and are currently in custody awaiting removal proceedings. Additionally, a detainer request has been lodged for another illegal migrant, Venezuelan Brayan Freites-Macias, who remains in custody at Rikers jail.
During the incident, Freites-Macias reportedly resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer, while Machado Avila intervened and struck the officer in the head. Another suspect, who is still at large, threw rocks at responding officers but missed. One officer sustained injuries and required medical treatment.
All five suspects faced charges including robbery, assault, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, criminal possession of stolen property, disorderly conduct, and harassment. Despite requests from prosecutors for higher bail amounts, Machado Avila was released under supervised conditions, while Freites-Macias was ordered to be held on bail or bond by a Manhattan Criminal Court judge.
The investigation is ongoing, with one suspect still at large. The incident highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in dealing with criminal activities involving illegal immigrants.
