2 Chilean nationals charged after burglary leads to pursuit, crash in OC
Jorge Navarretecorvalan (left) and Alejandro Tobarfuentes (right)
SANTA ANA, Calif. - Two Chilean nationals have been charged in connection with a head-on collision while driving on the wrong way of the freeway during a pursuit following a burglary.
Jorge Navarretecorvalan, 32, and Alejandro Tobarfuentes, 32, were arrested on June 8 after crashing into a Toyota Camry while driving northbound in the southbound lanes. Officials say they narrowly missed hitting an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy who had tried to pull them over.
Before the crash, the OC DA's office said they burglarized a home in San Juan Capistrano and allegedly stole a safe, designer handbags, and jewelry.
Navarretecorvalan was charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary, one felony count of evading a peace officer while driving opposite of traffic, one felony count of driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing injury or death, and one felony count of possession of a forged identification card.
Tobarfuentes was charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary, one felony count of possession of a forged identification card, and one misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools.
Navarretecorvalan faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison, while Tobarfuentes faces a maximum of six years and eight months.
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During their arrest, officials stated that the men identified themselves using Venezuelan IDs which law enforcement determined were fake.
Tobarfuentes and Navarretecorvalan are Chilean nationals who entered the US through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization System (ESTA) Visa Waiver Program which is administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the DA's office explained.
"For $21, applicants from countries which participate in the ESTA program can be granted unlimited access to the United States, up to 90 days at a time, for a two-year period. Applicants are granted access within 72 hours of applying for an ESTA visa waiver. Chile refuses to provide the criminal background checks for their residents as required by the ESTA program requirements," the DA's office said in a statement.
In 2022, 350,000 Chilean nationals entered the US through the ESTA visa waiver program without background checks.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has been outspoken on this issue, saying Chilean nationals are taking advantage of the program. Organized crime rings are then entering the US to commit residential burglaries.
"Instead of holding Chile accountable and preventing a direct pipeline for organized crime to shuttle thieves into the United States, Secretary Mayorkas’ inaction is resulting in Americans continuing to be terrorized by criminals who are stalking
them in their homes and waiting for the perfect moment to break their back sliders and steal their most prized possessions. This has to stop – and it has to stop today," Spitzer said.