Bitcoin Home Invasion Ringleader Gets More Prison Time for Beating Witness

A Florida man sentenced to 47 years in jail final September for orchestrating a string of violent dwelling invasions towards crypto house owners acquired further punishment final week, awarded additional time for attacking a witness, in line with the U.S. Justice Division.

Remy St Felix, 25, was sentenced to a different seven years in jail for attacking a witness who testified to his involvement within the sweeping dwelling invasion scheme, wherein some crypto house owners have been assaulted and certain with zip ties, authorities mentioned in a press release.

St Felix approached the witness, who was shackled and handcuffed, in a North Carolina-based detention middle, placing him within the face, head, and physique in October, in line with authorities. Happening after St Felix’s conviction on 9 counts—together with kidnapping and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence—he referred to as the witness a “rat,” they mentioned.

St Felix advised the witness that his 47-year prison sentence was their fault, the Division mentioned, including that he later “gloated” concerning the beating to his girlfriend and mom.

In Could, St Felix pleaded responsible to at least one rely of retaliation towards a witness for testimony in a legal trial. Nevertheless, 36 months of the sentence are anticipated to run concurrent to his earlier sentence, successfully lengthening his time whole behind bars by almost 4 years on paper.

St Felix’s second conviction comes amid an uptick in instances of bodily violence towards crypto house owners. Also known as “wrench assaults,” these strategies search to surpass probably the most superior safety measures a person may have by counting on violence and brute power.

The sample has been particularly notable in Paris, the place multiple victims have had their fingers severed whereas in captivity. Authorities within the area have made dozens of arrests, including a 24-year-old mastermind in June. One other wrench assault in France was reported this week.

In a single occasion within the U.S., St Felix’s crew kidnapped a person from their Florida dwelling, then drove 120 miles away and beat them whereas they have been held hostage. One other time, a Texas household was restrained for 3 hours earlier than the group absconded with money and luxurious watches.

St Felix was charged alongside 13 co-conspirators, and in whole, authorities say the group stole $3.5 million price of cryptocurrency. St Felix was ordered to pay $524,000 in restitution, representing the worth of stolen property, alongside his preliminary sentencing in September.

On the time, one other co-conspirator, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, was sentenced to twenty years in jail. He was ordered to pay $4 million in restitution for offering members of the house invasion crew with rental vehicles, resort rooms, and firearms.