Tennessee authorities have arrested eight migrant workers in connection with looting a flood-ravaged area of the state following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The arrests, made in the 107 area of Washington County, came as the region continued to reel from the catastrophic flooding that swept through eastern Tennessee.
Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton announced the arrests via Facebook, explaining that the men were taken into custody on Saturday.
Five of the suspects—Albin Nahun Vega-Rapalo, David Bairon Rapalo-Rapalo, Kevin Noe Martinez-Lopez, Marvin Hernandez-Martinez, and Dayln Gabriel Guillen Guillen—were charged with aggravated burglary into occupied homes. Meanwhile, three other suspects—Jesus Leodan Garcia-Peneda, Josue Berardo Ortis-Valdez, and Ersy Leonel Ortis-Valdez—are facing standard burglary charges.
NEW: 8 alleged migrants have been arrested in Eastern, Tennessee for robbing flood victims as local communities try to recover from apocalyptic flooding.
Local Americans are helping their neighbors in need however some migrants are capitalizing on the tragedy.
Albin Nahun… pic.twitter.com/aJTaugYJ6G
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 30, 2024
The sheriff's office confirmed that all eight suspects were migrant workers in the U.S. on legal work visas. However, according to a spokeswoman, these charges are likely to impact their legal status moving forward.
Each of the suspects is being held at the Washington County Detention Center with a bond set at $20,000, and all were expected to appear in court on Monday.
While aggravated burglary charges applied to those found looting homes that were still occupied, the other three men were caught looting unoccupied structures—some barely standing after the hurricane. The sheriff's office emphasized their commitment to patrolling the flood zones, with a clear message that authorities would stop anyone in restricted areas after dark, regardless of their appearance.
The recent arrival of radios by helicopter helped authorities in a region already struggling with poor communication infrastructure. According to the spokeswoman, this has been a critical step in maintaining security, especially since cell service had been unreliable even before the storm.
Hurricane Helene left eastern Tennessee battered by heavy rains and flooding, part of a larger path of destruction that has affected multiple Southeastern states. Governor Bill Lee visited the flood-damaged areas in recent days to survey the widespread devastation. As of Monday, the death toll from the storm had reached 133 across six states, with eastern Tennessee being one of the hardest-hit regions.