Defendants: Omar Willis (DOB 9/23/91); Latiek Frazer (DOB 02/26/93); Thomas Ricketts (DOB 09/05/91)
Oct. 16, 2020 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced Omar Willis, Latiek Frazer and Thomas Ricketts, all of the Bronx, were indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for multiple home burglaries throughout Westchester in August and September 2019.
Latiek Frazer was arraigned on dozens of charges today before Judge George E. Fufidio. Bail was set at $10,000 cash/$100,000 bond/$100,000 partially secured bond. Omar Willis and Thomas Ricketts failed to appear. Their arraignments were adjourned and are now scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 in Westchester County Court. There are outstanding warrants for Willis and Ricketts.
The charges detailed in the 47-count indictment include 10 counts of Burglary in the Second Degree–Dwelling, a class C felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, two counts of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree–Dwelling, a class D felony, as well as multiple charges for Grand Larceny in the Third and Fourth Degrees, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third and Fourth degrees, all felonies, as well as multiple misdemeanor charges. The defendants were also charged with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony.
Count 47 charges Omar Willis with Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree for an incident that occurred June 10, 2020 in the City of Rye, while he was at liberty on the earlier burglary charges.
Background
The indictment alleges the three defendants were involved in conspiracy and a burglary spree that lasted from Aug. 8, through Sept. 24, 2019, and spanned eight different Westchester communities, including Pelham Manor, Bronxville, Larchmont, Rye City, Mount Vernon, Hartsdale, Yonkers and Rye Brook.
Typically, the defendants used large rocks to break windows to gain entry. They stole many thousands of dollars’ worth of items from the 10 homes they burglarized, including safes, cash, jewelry, televisions, cameras, luggage, Rolex and other designer watches, designer pocketbooks and shoes, collector baseball cards, credit cards, birth certificates, Social Security cards, and in one instance, a $100,000 Porsche. In many instances, items of extreme sentimental value that cannot be replaced were taken.
The spree ended in the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2019. In a Rye Brook residence, the three defendants were surprised by a homeowner and fled, but not before ransacking the home and stealing over $3,000 cash plus jewelry and other items. Westchester County Police arrested them shortly thereafter on the Hutchinson River Parkway. In the vehicle, they found proceeds of the Rye Brook burglary. In addition, police found items from the previous night’s burglary the three had committed in Yonkers.
The case began as an investigation after burglar alarm activated in an Eastchester home Aug. 13, 2019. The suspects had used a large rock to gain entry. Neighbors recorded video of a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee circling the neighborhood, parking suspiciously and ultimately fleeing the area around the time of the alarm. A week later, a Bronxville home was burglarized and police also spotted a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee on surveillance and home video. The District Attorney’s Office and the Bronxville Police focused their investigation which led to Willis and Frazer, and later, Ricketts. All three were arrested Sept. 24, 2019. City of Rye, Greenburgh, Rye Brook, Larchmont, Mount Vernon, Pelham, Yonkers and Westchester County police departments assisted in the investigation.
Count 47 charges Omar Willis only for attempting to burglarize a home in Rye on June 10, 2020 while he was at liberty on the earlier charges.
Investigations Division Assistant District Attorney Celia Curtis and Second Deputy District Attorney Steven Vandervelden are prosecuting the case.
In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
_______________
Media contact:
media@westchesterda.net
(914) 995-3586
