Feds, NYPD nab two members of NYC robbery crew who kidnapped, robbed Uber driver in Queens
Two members of a Queens-based robbery crew were busted 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, N.J., and Jeffrey Tavarez, 23, of the Bronx have been 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 dating from October 2022 to March 2023, court records say.
At around 6 a.m. on Oct. 22, the two suspects and a third man who was an accomplice approached a 42-year-old Uber driver sitting in his car near 35th Ave. and 146th St. in Murray Hill, Queens.
They banged on his windows with guns before ordering him to exit his car, court records say.
The crooks placed a black bag over the man’s head and zip-tied his hands before snatching his keys, wallet and green Apple iPhone Pro Max. Then, one of the robbers allegedly demanded: “Where is the money?”
With a gun held to his head, the Uber driver told them he had cash at home, and gave them his address.
Shortly after, one of the crooks called the others via Facetime from inside the victim’s house. Then they forced the victim to direct him to the money. He pointed him to his son’s bedroom where they found and stole $20,000.
Finally satisfied with their haul of cash and goods, they drove off and dumped the victim in a random spot in Wantagh, L.I.
“We will kill you and your family,” one crook said, ordering the man not to call the police.
NYPD officers nabbed Carrasco and Tavarez on Dec. 27 in Queens after they stopped them in a stolen Jeep Cherokee, authorities said. Investigators later linked the pair to the Oct. 24 robbery and other similar robberies.
