FirstAlerts

San Juan Man Indicted and Arrested for Two Armed Carjackings

Federal authorities announced on August 20, 2026, the arrest and indictment of Benjamín Obed Velázquez Hernández on charges of carjacking and firearms violations. The case is at the charging stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 21, 2026, 1:07 p.m. ET
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 20, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had arrested Benjamín Obed Velázquez Hernández, of San Juan, in connection with two carjackings. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 30, 2026, charging Velázquez Hernández with two counts of carjacking and two counts of firearms violations. This case is only at the charging stage, and the charges have not been proven in court. The indictment alleges that on July 23, 2025, Velázquez Hernández, while carrying and brandishing a firearm, took a white Hyundai Santa Fe from an adult male by force, violence, and intimidation, with intent to cause death or serious bodily harm. He is also with the armed carjacking of a grey Mitsubishi Eclipse on August 13, 2025. Both victims were working as Uber drivers at the time. Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez Carbó commended the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the FBI for their work. Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan, stated the FBI is committed to disrupting violent crime in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FBI is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Velázquez Hernández faces up to fifteen years in prison for the carjackings and up to life in prison for the firearms charges. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  1. Version 121 Aug 2026, 17:07current

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