3rd arrest made in viral East Haven home invasion attempt

EAST HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - A third attempted home invasion suspect was arrested in connection with an incident that was caught on camera in East Haven and went viral last month.

Juan Rodriguez-Rivera, 31, of Hartford, is accused of coordinating the whole incident with the other two suspects, 37-year-old Xavier Otero, and 26-year-old Jean Carrasquillo-Torres.

The attempted home invasion happened on April 14 at a home on Maple Street.

Otero was recorded on a Ring doorbell camera. The footage showed him posing as a package delivery employee.

Police said he rang the doorbell with a package in his hand. When someone answered the door, he showed a handgun and tried to get inside.

“The resident can be seen off camera shoving Otero out of the house, who then fled the area in a silver Dodge Ram pickup truck,” East Haven police said.

After the incident, police said photos and video of the suspect and getaway vehicle were sent to the media and posted to social media. Several identities were developed within hours. Those suspects were taken into custody that evening and the following morning.

Detectives later identified Rodriguez-Rivera as the third suspect.

They said the plan was to restrain and rob the people in the home.

Not only that, police said they learned that there was a second plot to commit a similar crime in Manchester.

“[It] was thwarted due to the quick actions of investigators with the help of the Hartford Police Department,” East Haven police said.

Rodriguez-Rivera was taken into custody without incident in Hartford and was transported to the East Haven Police Department.

He was charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion and conspiracy to commit first-degree unlawful restraint.

Rodriguez-Rivera was held on a $750,000 bond and faced a judge on Thursday morning in New Haven.

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