Fourth suspect arrested in 'James Bond' boat theft

Investigators in a boat theft surveillance operation have arrested a fourth man they say was involved in a Christmas Eve theft and subsequent 345-mile chase across the Gulf of Mexico.

The operation conducted by the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Coast Guard Fort Myers Beach Station had been keeping tabs on several suspects believed to be operating an organized theft ring targeting outboard boat motors, high-value vessels and related equipment.

Three suspects were arrested in December after leading the sheriff's office and Coast Guard on a chase that began in the Fort Myers Beach area early on Dec. 24 and ended 20 hours later about 60 miles off the coast of Cuba.

The chase involved the theft of the Kellie Ann, a 2014, 36-foot, center-console boat with three Yamaha 300-horsepower engines, a model in the Invincible line of what are called "go-fast" boats worth about $300,000.

A fourth suspect, Alexis J. Vazquez,  35, of Cape Coral, was arrested Tuesday morning and is in Lee County Jail on $1 million bond.

Vazquez was arrested after he made an attempt to recover a 14-foot boat, vehicle and boat trailer — all owned by him, according to the sheriff's office  —  that were allegedly used in the theft incident, abandoned at various points in the Sanibel Island area and impounded the night of the theft.

The arrest report outlined Vazquez's activities the night of the theft, including his GMC Yukon being stopped by the sheriff's office at around 9 p.m. Dec. 23 at McGregor Boulevard and Iona Road for a malfunctioned trailer light.

A passenger in Vazquez's SUV was identified as Raul de la Vega Sauri,  25, of Homestead, one of the men later arrested on the stolen go-fast.

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Detectives involved in the surveillance followed and watched as Vazquez drove to the Punta Rassa boat ramp near the Sanibel Causeway and launched his 14-footer, loading items into the boat and then heading out toward Bowditch Point, a sheriff's office probable cause statement outlined.

Surveillance team members kept watch over the boat until they lost sight of it as it entered the Old Pelican Bay area of Fort Myers Beach. That area's canal can be reached only via this entrance, the sheriff's report said. The report said Vazquez's boat was used to tow the larger go-fast boat away from where it was taken so that starting the engines would not attract attention.

A little later, Vazquez's boat was seen leaving the canal followed several minutes later by the Invincible, which was operating without running lights. The report noted that the bigger boat briefly ran aground but was unstuck after occupants tossed several 15-gallon barrels of fuel overboard.

It was at this time that the sheriff's office initiated contact with the Invincible crew resulting in an attempt by the go-fast to elude capture by unsuccessfully trying to ram a sheriff's boat. The 20-hour chase also began at this point, the report indicated.

The co-owner of the boat, Jack Thomas, provided remote access to the boat's GPS to the sheriff's office who then relayed coordinates to the Coast Guard and the service's used air units to find and track the Invincible.

Vazquez's boat was spotted leaving the area also navigating without lights but the report said detectives could not identify the operator.

The sheriff's office also seized Vazquez's Yukon and boat trailer. His 14-foot boat, found later beached by the Sanibel Causeway, was also seized and impounded.

After Vazquez's boat, trailer and SUV had been at the impound lot for several weeks, the sheriff's office contacted Vazquez and requested he come and collect his property. When he did so Tuesday morning he was arrested on felony larceny charges.

A search of Vazquez's truck and boat found numerous handwritten notes, documentation, tools and $1,690 in cash.

Information from a satellite and cellphone also showed various trips from the U.S. to Cancun including an area from where a go-fast Jupiter model vessel had been stolen.

The sheriff's report also said information also confirmed Vazquez had purchased the satellite phone in anticipation of communicating with the Invincible crew.

New information on the three others arrested was also released Wednesday.

A sheriff's office report said that suspect Vidal Farfan-Ramirez,  23, of Mexico, told deputies after his arrest that he had been contracted by a friend and paid $3,000 to come to Fort Myers and bring the boat to Cancun.

Ramirez, whom the sheriff's report said owns a charter business in Mexico and is a boat captain with navigation experience, said he was dropped off at Bunche Beach with two bags of clothing, a satellite phone, cell phones and handheld GPS.

Ramirez said suspect David Vasquez, picked him up in a large boat and he helped load fuel barrels and supplies. He told investigators that he became suspicious at some point but was prevented by Vasquez, 33, of Miami, from leaving and then was interrupted by the sheriff's office arrival.

Ramirez said that Vasquez then took off to evade capture and they took turns piloting the boat, which he said was heading to Cancun due to his plotting that route into the on-board GPS.

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