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05/19/2023 07:51 AMPress release from East Haven Police Department
A third suspect has been arrested by the East Haven Police Department in connection to an April 14 attempted home invasion in which an individual, later identified as Xavier Otero, was captured on doorbell camera posing as a package delivery employee. The third suspect has been identified as Juan Rodriguez-Rivera, 31, of Hartford.
On doorbell camera footage from April 14 incident, Otero can be seen ringing the doorbell with a package in his hand before brandishing a handgun while attempting to enter a Maple Street residence in East Haven as soon as the resident answered the door. The resident can be seen off camera shoving Otero out of the house, after which Otero then fled the area in a silver Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Following the incident, images and video of the suspect and getaway vehicle were disseminated through various media and social media platforms, and several suspect identities were developed within hours. Those suspects were taken into custody later that evening and the following morning on April 15.
During the investigation, led by Detective Jon Trinh, a third suspect was identified and, after an arrest warrant affidavit was submitted, Rodriguez-Rivera was taken into custody without incident in Hartford with the assistance of the Hartford Police Department. It was learned through the investigation that Rodriguez-Rivera coordinated the attempted home invasion with the other two suspects—Otero, 37, and Jean-Carrasquillo-Torres, 26—in an effort to restrain and rob the occupants of the residence. As previously reported, the investigation revealed a second plot to commit a similar crime in Manchester that was thwarted due to the quick actions of investigators with the help of the Hartford Police Department.
Rodriguez-Rivera was taken into custody without incident in Hartford and transported to the East Haven Police Department for processing. He was charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion and conspiracy to commit unlawful restraint in the first degree. Rodriguez-Rivera was held on a $750,000 bond and faced a judge in New Haven on May 18.