Two members of the Queens-based robbery team have been arrested on federal robbery charges in a case involving the kidnapping and beating of an Uber driver in October, authorities said Friday.
Sam Carrasco, 20, of Kearny, NJ and Jeffrey Tavarez, 23, of the Bronx are charged in Brooklyn Federal Court.
Carrasco, also known as ‘Sica’ and ‘Sicario,’ and Tavarez were identified as members of the ‘Carrasco Crew,’ a group responsible for several armed robberies and carjackings in Queens from October 2022 to March 2023, according to court records.
At around 6 a.m. on October 22, the two arrested suspects and a third man who was an accomplice approached a 42-year-old Uber driver who was sitting in his car near 35th Avenue and 146th Street in Murray Hill, Queens.
They pounded on his windows with pistols before ordering him out of his car, according to court records.
The robbers placed a black bag over the man’s head and tied his hands before seizing his keys, wallet and green Apple iPhone Pro Max. Then one of the thieves allegedly asked, “Where is the money?”
With a gun to his head, the Uber driver told them he had cash at home and gave them his address.
Shortly after, one of the burglars Facetimed the others from inside the victim’s home. They then forced the victim to direct it towards the money. He pointed him to his son’s bedroom where $20,000 was found and stolen.
Finally satisfied with their haul of cash and goods, they drove off, dumping the victim at a random location in Wantagh, LI.
“We will kill you and your family,” said a robber, ordering the man not to call the police.
NYPD officers caught Carrasco and Tavarez on December 27 in Queens after they were pulled over in a stolen Jeep Cherokee, authorities said. Investigators later linked the couple to the October 24 robbery and other similar robberies.
