Two criminals accused of participating in a series of robberies using the method known as "piranha" were convicted of being responsible for multiple crimes characterized by their extreme violence and high social impact.
With extensive evidence that included the testimony of 35 witnesses during the investigation, a popular jury delivered a guilty verdict against the defendants Jonathan Alexis Farías Barrios (20) and Claudio Agüero (29), nicknamed "Gaby" or "Mbappé," who remain in pretrial detention at Penal Unit 43 in González Catán.
Judge Andrea Giselle Schiebeler, head of the Oral Criminal Court No. 1 of La Matanza, imposed sentences of 33 years in prison for Farías and 30 years for Agüero. The court had already declared their guilt and only needed to determine the length of the sentences.
Los delincuentes condenados.
One of the robberies committed by this gang that received the most media attention occurred on the night of November 11, 2023. The victim, Leonel Adrián Leiva, a leader of Club Vélez Sarsfield, along with his son, got out of a Peugeot 308 when they were surprised by armed criminals on Humahuaca Street at 300, in the town of Tapiales.
During the attack, Mateo, Leiva's son, was shot five times, receiving three wounds in his right shoulder. Thankfully, the minor miraculously survived. The assailants were traveling in a blue EcoSport SUV that had been stolen minutes before the incident.
At gunpoint, they stole 380,000 pesos (837 pounds) in their possession, two cell phones, a wallet with personal documents, credit cards, and the vehicle.
Uno de los robos.
After committing several crimes, which included the theft of a motorcycle, a chase, and the disposal of weapons, they were arrested. Prosecutor Sergio Antin requested a sentence for Farías Barrios of 39 years in prison for the crimes of aggravated robbery with the use of a weapon whose firing capability could not be confirmed, aggravated robbery with a firearm (Leiva case), attempted aggravated homicide with a firearm (against Leiva's son), and aggravated concealment (for the motorcycle they were using at the time of arrest).
Meanwhile, regarding Claudio Agüero, the prosecution requested that he be sentenced to 33 years in prison for being responsible for the crimes of aggravated robbery with the use of a firearm and attempted aggravated homicide (in the Leiva case), as well as aggravated robbery with a weapon whose firing capability could not be verified (for the theft of an Amarok SUV in Aldo Bonzi).
During his closing argument, the prosecutor highlighted as aggravating factors that both criminals acted at night, all the events occurred between 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., the participation of multiple individuals, several of whom remain fugitives, the evident dangerousness of their actions, and the serious harm caused both to Leiva's son and to one of the minors who was present with his parents during the assault on the family.
