Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YOANDRYS CUE, 31, a citizen of Cuba last residing in Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a multi-state burglary spree.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2013, CUE, Alionis Perez, and others traveled from New Jersey to Connecticut.  The next day, they broke into the Fossil store located in Clinton, Connecticut, disabled the alarm system and stole watches valued at approximately of $250,000.  Following the burglary, they returned to New Jersey with the stolen merchandise.

On August 18, 2013, CUE, Perez and others attempted to break into the Movado store located in Kittery, Maine.

On September 19, 2013, CUE, Perez and others broke into the Fossil store located in Miramar Beach, Fla., and stole watches valued at approximately $170,000.

On October 4, 2013, CUE, Perez and others broke into the Fossil store located in Hagerstown, Md., and stole watches valued at approximately $750,000.

On October 24, 2013, CUE, Perez and others broke into the Fossil store located in Grove City, Penn., and stole watches valued at approximately $195,000.

On November 22, 2013, CUE, Perez and others traveled from New Jersey to Massachusetts and stole a van.  The next day, they broke into the Michael Kors store in Lee, Mass., disabled the alarm system and stole watches and bag valued at approximately $500,000.  The conspirators then traveled from Massachusetts, disposed of the stolen van in Staten Island, New York, and returned to New Jersey with the stolen merchandise.

On May 20, 2016, CUE pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property.  He is currently incarcerated in New Jersey on an unrelated burglary conviction.

On May 23, 2016, Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property stemming from the 2013 burglaries and two additional burglaries in Kansas and Tennessee in August 2014.  On August 18, 2016, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.

Judge Chatigny ordered CUE and Perez to pay restitution in the amount of $1.865 million.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clinton (Conn.) Police Department, Kittery (Maine) Police Department, Walton County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office, Washington County (Md.) Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Lee (Mass.) Police Department, Berkshire County (Mass.) Sheriff’s Office, Franklin (Tenn.) Police Department and Nashville (Tenn.) Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Heather Cherry in the District of Connecticut, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Deneke in the Middle District of Tennessee.