A prosecutor specializing in organized crime in Peru's La Libertad region, Andrea Lavado Pérez, has requested the immediate location and arrest of private security agent Joyce Bereche Maco, the registered owner of the white Toyota Hilux pickup truck used by the gang that kidnapped businessman Jenns Lara Tantaquilla and killed his four companions in the early hours of Sunday, August 30, in Trujillo.
According to the prosecutor's accusation, Bereche also rented the house where Lara was held captive until his family paid a ransom, the amount of which has not been disclosed.
Investigators with Trujillo's Criminal Investigation Division traced the truck, bearing license plate BSJ-899, through security camera footage from a gas station located six blocks from the scene of the quadruple homicide, showing the vehicle hours before the criminals abducted Lara and killed his four friends.
Truck traced to security agent in mining region
Records from Peru's national public registry show the pickup is registered to Joyce Bereche Maco, who is originally from the district of Pítipo, in the province of Ferreñafe, in the department of Lambayeque, in northern Peru.
Photographs on his social media accounts indicate Bereche works as a security agent in the mining area of Pataz, a gold-mining zone in La Libertad that has been the site of repeated violence linked to illegal mining and extortion. Lara, the kidnapped businessman, also has business interests in Pataz.
The Los Pulpos network
In the same resolution, prosecutor Lavado identified 12 other alleged members of the criminal organization known as Los Pulpos who took part in the attack on Lara and contributed to the killing of Andrea Monzón Lingán, Nadia Urtecho Rodríguez, Christopher García Álvarez and Luis Rojas Ramos de Rosas.
Necropsy reports obtained by La República found that all four victims were killed with a single gunshot to the head, a detail investigators say points to a decision by the perpetrators to leave no witnesses.
Bereche's alleged role
Regarding Bereche's part in the plot, prosecutor Lavado's resolution states that he is accused of acting as the organization's logistics coordinator. Under the rules of non-executive co-authorship, she said, he took part in the division of roles and shared functional responsibility for the broader plan to kidnap Lara for ransom.
The resolution adds that his participation was decisive and essential, since he deliberately provided the real estate, by renting the house used to hold the victim, and the transport, by acquiring the vehicle used in the operation, both of which were needed to capture, conceal and hold onto Lara.
Based on this role, the prosecutor has charged the security agent with aggravated extortion for hostage retention, or kidnapping for ransom.
Thirteen suspects and their alleged roles
The prosecutor's resolution lists all 13 members of the criminal organization accused of carrying out the kidnapping and multiple killing, along with the role each is alleged to have played:
- Jhonsson Cruz Torres, alleged leader of Los Pulpos, in custody
- Óscar Cruz Basilio, alleged lieutenant to the leader
- Gabriel Mendocilla Gómez, alleged coordinator of the kidnapping
- Juan Llenque Azabache, alleged recruiter of the gunmen
- Julio Zavaleta Quezada, alleged recruiter of the gunmen
- José Cerrepe Dávila, alleged logistics operative
- Joyce Bereche Maco, alleged logistics operative
- Frank Quezada Cruz, alleged gunman
- Juan Bocanegra Enríquez, alleged driver
- Roy Bocanegra Marrero, alleged driver
- Ángel Bocanegra Linares, alleged driver
- César García Rivera, alleged driver
- Peter Bocanegra Aguilar, alleged driver
Prosecutor Andrea Lavado has requested 36 months of preventive prison for all 13 defendants. She has charged them with criminal organization, extortion, forgery and illicit association to commit crimes.
