Eight men have been charged by federal authorities with stealing cases of beer from train cars and other facilities across the Northeast over nearly two years. The men are accused of carrying out dozens of beer heists in states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts between July 2022 and March 2024, costing beverage distributors hundreds of thousands of dollars. They would gather in the Bronx under the cover of darkness, then set out to cut holes in fences or locks to access sealed pallets of beer, usually Corona or Modelo shipped from Mexico. Once brought back to the Bronx, the men would inspect the cases and sell them, with the heist teams being paid hundreds of dollars for a night’s work.
Jose Cesari, known as “Cry,” is accused of being a leader in the ring and would post on Instagram seeking recruits, boasting the ability to make over $100,000 in a month by following what he called “the beer train method.” Cesari also allegedly used a police scanner to monitor potential police activity and was found in possession of a firearm that he brandished. The men face seven federal criminal counts, including charges under the 1946 Hobbs Act governing interference with interstate commerce, which could result in decades of prison time. FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy described the theft ring as modern-day criminals targeting railyards and beverage distribution centers, contrasting with the romanticized image of train heists from the Wild West.
The FBI agent’s statement highlighted the contrast between the perceived glamour of train heists in the past and the reality of the modern-day criminals involved in the beer theft ring. The men targeted railyards and beverage distribution centers in New Jersey, New York, and beyond, using methods such as cutting holes in fences or locks to access sealed pallets of beer shipments. The stolen cases of beer, usually Corona or Modelo brought in from Mexico, were then inspected and sold back in the Bronx by the heist teams, who were paid hundreds of dollars for a night’s work. Jose Cesari, identified as a leader in the ring, advertised the opportunity to make significant amounts of money through the thefts on social media, using a police scanner to monitor police activity and brandishing a firearm.
The federal charges against the men include violations of the Hobbs Act, which governs interference with interstate commerce and can lead to decades of prison time. In response to the thefts, a spokesperson for rail group CSX, one of the railyards targeted by the suspects, emphasized the company’s commitment to protecting its property and customers. Railyards are considered private property, and unauthorized activity such as criminal trespassing is taken seriously and will be prosecuted. The theft ring’s activities, spanning multiple states in the Northeast, underscore the impact of organized crime on businesses and distribution networks. The beer heists, reminiscent of Wild West train robberies, have resulted in significant financial losses for beverage distributors and highlighted the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat such criminal activities.
