One of the leaders of a criminal group that targeted the homes of Asian-origin business owners across several states has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen property across state lines. 34-year-old Derinson Martinez-Grandas appeared before a federal judge in Eugene, Oregon, and reached a plea agreement. Under the terms of the deal, prosecutors recommend a sentence of one year and one day in prison.
According to the charging documents, all members of the gang were citizens of Colombia. They traveled in a caravan of four cars, rented housing through Airbnb and closely surveilled their victims, striking when the occupants were away. The burglars used Wi-Fi jammers to disable surveillance cameras and communicated in real time via a seven-way WhatsApp call. When approaching houses they wore masks and posed as food delivery couriers.
Asian business owners in the Puget Sound region, including the city of Auburn, Washington, proved especially vulnerable to such organized thefts. Many in that community operate small businesses — restaurants, beauty salons, grocery stores — where transactions are often conducted in cash. Due to distrust of the banking system, particularly among first-generation immigrants, and cultural practices of keeping savings at home, these households can hold large amounts of cash. The criminals deliberately exploited this vulnerability, as well as the fact that suburbs like Auburn and Tacoma have standalone homes without centralized security. In addition, some Asian families are less likely to report thefts to police because of language barriers or fear of law enforcement.
Police began surveilling Martinez-Grandas and his associates in October 2025, using automated Flock cameras to read license plates. When police and federal agents arrived to search an Airbnb-rented house in Eugene, the suspects attempted to flee into the woods. Inside the premises officers found bags of pearls, gold jewelry, stacks of dollars and Asian currency, watches, purses, wallets and designer accessories.
Prosecutors say the gang committed at least four robberies between Oct. 3 and Oct. 9, 2025. The victims were Asian families in Gresham, Eugene and Salem (Oregon), and in Auburn (Washington). Total losses are estimated at no less than $60,000. Evidence also included money-transfer receipts to Bogotá, Colombia, and various travel documents.
Three other members of the gang have already pleaded guilty. Sentencing for all four is scheduled for July 14. Martinez-Grandas will remain in custody at the Polk County Jail. If he receives a federal sentence of at least one year, the Lane County prosecutor recommends imposing an additional 10 months on separate state-level robbery charges to run concurrently.
To reduce the risk of such attacks, experts recommend that Asian business owners in the Northwest move to cashless transactions and use bank safe-deposit boxes instead of keeping money at home. When listing properties on Airbnb, avoid photographs of valuables and cash in the listing. Installing surveillance systems, such as Ring doorbells, and motion sensors, as well as participating in neighborhood watch programs, lowers risk. It is also important to disseminate information within the community in native languages — Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese — that Airbnb-targeted thefts are becoming more common. People should be taught to identify suspicious renters: for example, those who book a one-night stay with no reviews. It is also recommended to keep business records in cloud services rather than maintain paper records of income at home.
Based on: Leader of burglary ring targeting Asians in PNW pleads guilty