See mug shots of 16 arrested in stolen-property police sting

By Gregan Wingert

Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 | 10:06 p.m.

After a 14-month undercover investigation police arrested 16 people suspected of selling stolen property.

Metro Police’s criminal intelligence section led the investigation code-named “Operation Jigsaw” in which undercover officers posing as employees set up a southwest Las Vegas Valley storefront operation to entice suspects interested in selling various types of stolen property, police said.

Authorities anticipate making more arrests as part of the investigation, police said.

During the sting operation hundreds of items were recovered, police said. Among them were 28 stolen motor vehicles, 21 stolen firearms, stolen credit cards, identification cards and an assortment of illegal narcotics, police said.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Clark County district attorney’s office, the U.S. attorney’s office, and the Homeland Security Investigations Section of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement assisted with the investigation.

The following people have been arrested.

Marvin Evans, 36, of Las Vegas, charged with grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Luis Rivera, a.k.a. Heriberto Moran, 30, of Las Vegas, charged with three counts of grand larceny auto, two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, three counts of possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary.

Juan Alejo, 26, of Las Vegas, charged with two counts of grand larceny auto, two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Chad Connelley, 39, of Las Vegas, who was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center at the time of his arrest. Connelley was rebooked on charges of grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Ronald Ortez, 38, of Las Vegas, charged with grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Omar Cardenas, 30, of Las Vegas, who was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center following sentencing on other unrelated charges. Cardenas was rebooked on the charges of two counts of grand larceny auto and two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle.

Mario Garza, 37, of Las Vegas, charged with grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Oscar Meza, 26, of Las Vegas, charged with grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Casey Apao, 32, of Las Vegas, charged with possession of burglary tools, possession of a stolen vehicle, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Nam Nguyen, 33, of Las Vegas, charged with two counts of grand larceny auto, three counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and possession of a controlled substance.

Suon Friedman, 19, of Las Vegas, charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.

Keaton Peterson, 30, of Las Vegas, charged with conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act and two counts of sale of a controlled substance.

Malcolm Blackwell, 39, of Las Vegas, charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Antonio Gray, 30, of Las Vegas, who was in custody in Fontana, Calif., on unrelated charges at the time of his arrest, was charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

James Brown, 22, of North Las Vegas, charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Ari Langer, 37, of Las Vegas, who remains in custody in the Nevada State Prison System, was charged with prohibited Person in possession of a firearm.