Chilean nationals arrested after burglary, wrong-way chase in Orange County

Two Chilean nationals were arrested after a burglary led to a high-speed chase in Orange County.

The suspects were identified as Jorge Navarretecorvalan, 32, and Alejandro Tobarfuentes, 32, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

On June 8, the suspects allegedly ransacked a San Juan Capistrano home and fled with designer handbags, jewelry and a safe, authorities said.

When an Orange County sheriff's deputy spotted the men and attempted to stop their vehicle, they refused to yield and sped away from the scene, leading the deputy in pursuit.

During the chase, the suspects, who were driving a Mini Cooper, drove on the wrong side of the highway and crashed head-on into a Toyota sedan, narrowly missing a police officer who attempted to arrest them.

The driver of the sedan was seriously injured in the crash, authorities said.

During their arrest, the suspects provided fake Venezuelan identification cards to the deputies, officials said.

The suspects were actually Chilean nationals who were visiting the United States on a visa waiver from the Department of Homeland Security.

On June 14, Navarretecorvalan was charged with one count of first-degree burglary, one count of eluding a peace officer while driving the wrong way, one count of driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing injury or death, and one count of possession. a false identity card.

Tobarfuentes was charged with one count of first-degree burglary, one count of possession of a false identification card and one misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools.

If convicted on all counts, Navarretecorvalan faces up to eight years in prison while Tobarfuentes faces up to six years and eight months in prison.

Both suspects entered the United States through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver program. For $21, applicants from countries that participate in the ESTA program receive unlimited access to the United States for up to 90 consecutive days over a two-year period.

Applicants typically gain access within 72 hours of applying for an ESTA visa waiver.

“Chile refuses to conduct criminal background checks on its residents as required by ESTA program requirements,” the prosecutor’s office said. “In 2022, 350,000 Chilean nationals entered the United States through the ESTA visa waiver program without background checks. »

In May 2023, OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer criticized the program, which he said is exploited by international organized crime rings to commit residential burglaries in the United States.

“Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has the authority to immediately and unilaterally suspend Chile from the ESTA visa waiver program until it complies with the criminal background check requirement. its citizens,” Spitzer said. “Instead of holding Chile accountable and stopping organized crime from funneling thieves to the United States, Secretary Mayorkas' inaction means Americans continue to be terrorized by criminals who hunt them down home and steal their most precious possessions. This must stop.