Great Lakes Wire

The Midland County Prosecutor's Office, in collaboration with the Department of Attorney General, has brought charges against Rafael Rodriguez and Juan Miguel Rodriguez-Venegas from Florida. The two men face accusations of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise (CCE) and six counts of Larceny in a Building, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Additional charges include two counts of Uttering and Publishing for Rodriguez and Possession of Burglar’s tools for Rodriguez-Venegas. The CCE charge is supported by several alleged predicate acts: six instances of Larceny in a Building in Midland County, one in Bay County, four in Oakland County, and two in Saginaw County.

The allegations involve fishing money orders and cash out of drop boxes at apartment complexes and mobile home parks, which were then allegedly cashed or kept by the accused. These activities reportedly occurred between 2019 and 2022.

"Michigan residents who submit their rental payments through dedicated drop boxes should be able to trust that those payments will be used for their intended purposes and not to line the pockets of criminals," Nessel stated. "I’m grateful for our partnership with J. Dee Brooks and the Midland County Prosecutors Office that will allow these defendants to be held accountable."

J. Dee Brooks, Midland County Prosecuting Attorney, remarked on the case's complexity due to its multi-jurisdictional nature: "This is a very unusual but important case in that it involves many apparent criminal offenses in multiple jurisdictions, and we look forward to partnering with the Attorney General’s Office to address the problem with out-of-state actors coming into Michigan to victimize our citizens."

Rodriguez was arraigned on March 15, 2024, in Midland County with a Probable Cause Conference set for March 26, 2024. Rodriguez-Venegas was arraigned earlier on February 5, 2024, with his conference scheduled for April 9, 2024. Both cases are being handled by Judge Michael Carpenter at the 75th District Court.

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Please note: For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.