Individual admits guilt in 2024 case involving burglaries at athletes’ residences.
A significant development in the ongoing series of burglaries targeting prominent athletes’ residences in 2024 — involving NFL players such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow — occurred in a federal courtroom in Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon when one of the suspects admitted guilt to interstate transportation of stolen property, as per court records.
Alexander Esteban Huaiquil Chavez entered a guilty plea regarding the charge, although the Tennessee court documents did not provide additional specifics about the case. Federal authorities submitted a complaint in Florida in February 2025, identifying Huaiquil Chavez as part of a theft ring consisting of Chilean nationals that infiltrated the homes of athletes nationwide, stealing cash, jewelry, and firearms. They faced charges of interstate transportation of stolen property.
The sole incident mentioned in the Florida complaint concerning Tennessee was a burglary from December 2024, during which around $1 million worth of jewelry, watches, and luxury bags were taken from the residence of “Professional Athlete 6,” a player for the Memphis Grizzlies, while the team faced off against the Golden State Warriors on December 19. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon later confirmed that the player was guard Ja Morant.
Huaiquil Chavez is scheduled for sentencing on June 11. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both parties consented to a two-year prison term. Should the court reject the plea, either party retains the option to withdraw. U.S. attorneys have suggested that Chavez should receive “the maximum applicable reduction for acceptance of responsibility,” provided he adheres to the conditions of the plea agreement. These conditions include refraining from committing any new offenses or intentionally providing false statements or testifying “falsely at any future proceedings.”
Messages left for Huaiquil Chavez’s attorney were not promptly returned to ESPN.
A grand jury indicted Huaiquil Chavez along with three other individuals in Tennessee last May on a single count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Sergio Andres Cabello, Bastian Alejandro Morales, and Jordan Francisco Sanchez were also indicted in the Memphis case, but their current statuses in Tennessee remain unclear. The four men were apprehended in Ohio on January 10, 2025, after being stopped for a traffic violation while driving a black 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer with Florida license plates. During the arrest, officers reportedly discovered fake identification and “burglary tools.”
Federal law enforcement utilized data from cell phone towers and car rentals to trace the alleged thieves. Authorities also found images on an iCloud account depicting the suspects with stolen watches.
Cabello, Morales, and Sanchez are additionally accused of burglarizing Burrow’s residence in Ohio on December 9, 2024, while Burrow was in Texas competing against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. The Florida complaint referred to Burrow as “Professional Athlete 5.”
A discovery letter submitted in October 2025 to Huaiquil Chavez’s attorney from the Department of Justice connected him to the Burrow case, indicating that “the government has provided evidence of other acts by Mr. Chavez related to the criminal action in Ohio.”
In a February 2025 affidavit in Ohio charging Cabello, Morales, and Sanchez, authorities claimed Huaiquil Chavez “admitted to purchasing a glass breaker Husky tool at Home Depot but did not provide a reason for the purchase.”
The judge overseeing the cases against Cabello, Morales, and Sanchez has permitted several continuances, including one on Tuesday, “to continue plea negotiations,” according to federal court documents. The next status conference for these cases is scheduled for May 5.
The Florida complaint alleged burglaries at the residences of Mahomes and Kelce (identified as Professional Athletes 2 and 3), Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (Professional Athlete 4), and an unnamed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player (Professional Athlete 1).
The burglars employed advanced techniques to execute the break-ins. The federal complaint detailed their use of short-term cell phones, their awareness of when athletes were likely away due to publicized game schedules, and their approach from “wooded or dark” areas. The complaint asserted that the group would then break a window or utilize a crowbar to slide open a door before entering the property.
Portis Jr. shared footage of his Wisconsin home being burglarized by thieves wearing hoods and masks to conceal their identities while donning hazmat-style protective suits. The video captured a noise resembling a power tool and brief Spanish phrases.
This series of burglaries prompted the FBI to alert professional sports organizations about the break-ins, indicating that at least nine athletes had their homes targeted. Consequently, the NFL, NBA, and NHL issued warnings to players regarding heightened risks and provided guidance on best practices.
Other professional athletes also fell victim to burglaries in 2024, including Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers (then with the Dallas Mavericks), Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars, and Mike Conley Jr. of the Minnesota Timberwolves, although their cases were not included in the Florida complaint.
