On February 19, 2025, federal prosecutors in Tampa charged seven alleged members of a South American theft ring for allegedly targeting the residences of professional athletes nationwide, including Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and tight end Travis Kelce. Now, one of those men has admitted his role in the high-profile heists.

“Alexander Esteban Huaiquil Chavez pleaded guilty to the charge, although Tennessee court documents provided no further details about the case,” ESPN reported. “Federal authorities filed a complaint in Florida in February 2025 that listed Huaiquil Chavez as a member of a theft group comprising Chilean nationals who broke into the homes of athletes across the United States, stealing cash, jewelry, and weapons. They were charged with interstate transportation of stolen property.”

As a result, Huaiquil Chavez is set to be sentenced on June 11. Both sides agreed to a two-year imprisonment as part of the plea deal, but the court still holds final authority. If the judge rejects the agreement, either party can walk away. Additionally, U.S. attorneys recommended that Chavez receive “the maximum applicable reduction for acceptance of responsibility” provided he complies with the plea agreement’s stipulations.

Those include not committing any new crimes or purposely making false statements or testifying “falsely at any future proceedings.”

Notably, the only Tennessee-related case in the Florida complaint involved a December 2024 burglary. While the Memphis Grizzlies were hosting the Golden State Warriors on December 19, thieves allegedly took about $1 million worth of jewelry, watches, and luxury bags from a player’s home. Later, Tim MacMahon of ESPN verified that the athlete was Ja Morant.

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In May, a Tennessee grand jury indicted Huaiquil Chavez and three individuals on a single count of interstate transportation of stolen property. Jordan Francisco Sanchez, Sergio Andres Cabello, and Bastian Alejandro Morales were also charged in the Memphis case. However, it’s unclear what their current circumstances are.

Patrick Mahomes reacts after Travis Kelce suffers a six-figure loss in the burglary

In early October 2024, these thieves hit the homes of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes just days apart. According to The Sun, Kelce, now 36, lost $100,000 worth of jewelry, though authorities later recovered one watch.

“Travis was distraught because the thieves took sentimental items, including his first Super Bowl jersey,” the report noted. “Having someone break into his private home left him unsettled.”

Interestingly, the pattern did not stop there. Just three weeks after the break-in at Mahomes’ home, thieves turned their attention to the residence of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, who was away during a game on October 21. The group then moved on to Bobby Portis’ property on November 2, further escalating their crime spree.

In November 2024, Patrick Mahomes addressed the situation publicly.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing,” he said. “I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing. But obviously it’s something that you don’t want to happen to, really, anybody, but obviously yourself.”

On December 9, they targeted Joe Burrow’s house, leaving the star quarterback shaken. Between December 19 and 20, while a Memphis Grizzlies player was on the court, these thieves struck again.

Investigators eventually began piecing the trail together through digital clues. Federal agents tracked the group by analyzing cellphone tower records and rental car data, which helped map their movements. From there, the case took another turn. Authorities also uncovered photos stored in an iCloud account that appeared to show members of the group posing with watches believed to be stolen.

Those images, combined with the location data, gave investigators a clearer picture of what had been happening behind the scenes. Federal documents later revealed that the group used advanced tactics. They relied on short-term phones, tracked public game schedules, and approached properties through “wooded or dark” areas. Then they broke windows or forced doors open with crowbars before entering.

However, now the situation is getting sorted little by little.