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Teller who stole $600Ok+ from credit score union, later was Durham drug seller, will get 12+ years in jail, feds say


DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — A head teller of a credit score union who stole greater than $600,000 from the vault after which vanished for years — solely to be discovered by police as a blood-covered, armed Durham drug seller in 2021 — was sentenced within the case Tuesday, officers stated.

Jorge Omar Navarro, 30, was present in late March 2021 when — utilizing a faux title and ID — he claimed he was robbed by males at gunpoint in his Durham residence, the U.S. Justice Division stated.

CBS 17 File photograph – Jorge Omar Navarro in a photograph from the Danville Register & Bee.

When Durham police arrived, they discovered six weapons, a number of kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $74,900 in money, in keeping with a earlier information launch about his responsible plea from the U.S. Legal professional for the Center District of North Carolina.

Navarro was sentenced to greater than 12 years Tuesday, 147 months, after he pleaded responsible late final 12 months to embezzling the cash from his credit score union in Danville, Virginia. He additionally pleaded responsible to drug expenses associated to the bust in Durham.

The wild story of a head teller at a credit score union descending into the lifetime of a blood-covered gun-toting drug seller began again in July 2017.

That’s when officers stated Navarro started taking massive quantities of money from the URW Federal Credit score Union in Danville, Virginia.

He saved taking the cash for months — till Sept. 2018, authorities stated. Federal officers stated they’ve video of him taking money.

He changed some cash within the vault with counterfeit money, authorities additionally stated.

In Sept. 2018, Navarro disappeared and went for a brief keep on the Ritz-Carlton Lodge in Charlotte, authorities stated. After trying out on Sept. 10, he textual content messaged the CEO of the credit score union, admitting that he took the cash, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Justice.

Navarro then skipped city and went on the lam with the stolen loot — spending the subsequent two years as a fugitive.

When he was discovered by Durham police simply earlier than 10 a.m. March 31, 2021, he was lined in blood and operating from gunfire, officers stated.

Three handguns, a shotgun, two rifles, physique armor and cash counting machines had been present in his unit at Independence Park Residences in Durham, officers stated.

Durham police additionally stated there was “blood all through the residence.”

The $74,900 in money that police discovered within the Durham residence was made out of promoting medicine, Navarro admitted, a earlier information launch stated.

“He claimed that he was trafficking cocaine to pay again the financial institution,” federal officers stated in a factual foundation doc.

Durham police stated they discovered him after they responded that March morning a couple of disturbance with a gun on the flats at 215 William Penn Plaza.

It’s unclear the place the $617,000 went throughout Navarro’s two years on the run.

Durham police stated he advised them that males robbed him of $200,000 on March 31, when gunshots had been fired — bringing the police and an finish to his run as a fugitive and drug seller.

“Credit score for placing an finish to the spree goes to officers of the Durham Police Division, whose thoroughness revealed that the defendant was in reality a drug trafficker and a fugitive from justice,” U.S. Legal professional Sandra J. Hairston stated in a information launch.

Navarro pleaded responsible to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for his conduct in Durham, officers stated.

Within the Virginia incident, he pleaded responsible to 1 depend of embezzlement and one depend of utilizing counterfeit forex with the intent to commit fraud.

Navarro’s sentencing came about Tuesday in Winston-Salem the place he confronted a minimal of 10 years in jail, with a max of a life sentence. The decision determined was greater than 12 years together with $628,600.43 in restitution, the Center District of North Carolina advised CBS 17 on Wednesday.

WFXR-TV contributed to this report.



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