Serial Burglar Who Targeted OC Homes In $2M Burglary Ring Sentenced: OCDA

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A third-striker who triggered an international manhunt when he skipped out on bond while awaiting trial for his role in a roughly $2 million multi-county burglary ring that targeted homes in Orange and San Bernardino counties was sentenced Monday to 61 years to life in state prison.

Erick Daniel Soria, 33, was the fourth defendant to be convicted and sentenced for a surge of residential burglaries that started in Chino Hills in Aug. 2019 before spreading to cities in Orange County, such as Fullerton, Anaheim Hills, Villa Park, Lake Forest, Yorba Linda, Buena Park and Irvine through early 2020.

The burglars stole designer watches, purses, jewelry, guns and cash, according to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

Two of the burglaries happened while the residents were inside their homes, prosecutors said.

The fifth and final suspect that investigators believe is tied to the serial burglaries, Alvaro Ramos, remains at large.

Prosecutors said the men carried out the burglaries while wearing gloves, ski masks and hoodies.

In 2020, Spitzer described them coming from other counties to "sneak through our backyards and break into our homes."