Chilean national arrested after break-in and chase in Orange County

Two Chilean citizens were arrested after a burglary led to a high-speed pursuit in Orange County.

The suspects were identified as Jorge Navarretecorvalan, 32, and Alejandro Tobarfuentes, 32, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

On June 8, the suspects raided a home in San Juan Capistrano and fled with designer handbags, jewelry and a safe, authorities said.

When an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the men and attempted to stop their vehicle, they refused to yield and sped away from the scene, prompting a chase by the deputy.

During the chase, the suspects, driving a Mini Cooper, drove on the wrong side of the highway and collided head-on with a Toyota sedan, narrowly missing a deputy who attempted to stop them.

The driver of the sedan suffered serious injuries in the accident, authorities said.

During the arrest, the suspects presented officers with fake Venezuelan IDs, officials said.

The suspects were actually Chilean citizens who entered the United States with a visa waiver from the Department of Homeland Security.

On June 14, Navarretecorvalan was charged with first-degree burglary, fleeing from a police officer while driving against the direction of traffic, driving the wrong way on a highway resulting in injury or death, and possession of a false identification card.

Tobarfuentes was charged with first-degree burglary, possession of a false identification card and possession of burglary tools.

If convicted on all counts, Navarretecorvalan faces up to eight years in prison and Tobarfuentes faces up to six years and eight months in prison.

The two suspects entered the United States through the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). For $21, applicants from countries participating in the ESTA program receive unlimited access to the United States for up to 90 days each over a two-year period.

Typically, applicants are granted access within 72 hours of applying for an ESTA visa waiver.

“Chile refuses to conduct the criminal background checks on its residents required by the requirements of the ESTA program,” the prosecutor’s office said. “In 2022, 350,000 Chilean nationals entered the United States through the ESTA visa waiver program without a background check.”

In May 2023, OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer criticized the program, which he said is being exploited by international organized crime rings to commit home burglaries in the United States

“Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has the power to immediately and unilaterally exclude Chile from the ESTA visa waiver program until it complies with the requirement to conduct criminal background checks for its citizens,” Spitzer said. “Instead of holding Chile accountable and preventing a direct path for organized crime to smuggle thieves into the United States, Secretary Mayorkas’ inaction means that Americans will continue to be terrorized by criminals who stalk them in their homes and steal their most prized possessions. This must stop.”