2 brothers sentenced to more than 20 years for Brentwood home invasion, DA says

Two brothers from Philadelphia have each been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for their role in an armed home invasion in Brentwood last year, the Suffolk County district attorney's office said.

County Court Justice Timothy Mazzei on Wednesday sentenced Luis Rivera-Colon, 33, to 25 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. He sentenced Rivera-Colon's brother, Jose Rivera-Colon, 28, to 23 years in prison and also five years of post-release supervision.

The brothers were convicted in May of three counts each of first-degree burglary and endangering the welfare of a child, the Suffolk district attorney's office said.

A third defendant, Rafaelito Rodriguez, 38, also of Philadelphia, was convicted in January of three counts each of first-degree burglary and endangering the welfare of a child, along with one count each of first-degree criminal use of a firearm and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Mazzei sentenced Rodriguez to 25 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision in March.

At about 12:30 a.m. on May 14, 2017, the three men, each wearing masks, approached a resident of a downstairs apartment on Grand Boulevard in Brentwood as he was exiting his car and flashed weapons, police said. Rodriguez, armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, and the Rivera-Colon bothers, armed with knives, demanded the resident let them into the house.

The resident knocked on the front door and a 16-year-old resident opened it, allowing the men to enter the home occupied by four others, including two children under 14, authorities said.

Two of the victims were restrained with duct tape around their wrists and one had their mouth covered with tape, police said. A male victim opened a safe while being forced at gunpoint and the defendants took about $20,000 in cash, an ornate collectible knife and sheath, jewelry and a purse, authorities said.

During the burglary, the 16-year-old asked for a glass of water, which she smashed on the floor to alert a downstairs neighbor while a female victim shouted, "Let them take everything," police said.

A resident of the downstairs apartment called 911 and Suffolk police apprehended the three men inside the home, police said. All of the victims' property was recovered.

"Thankfully, due to the care and concern of the victims’ neighbors and the rapid response of the Suffolk County Police Department, the victims were not injured and the defendants were caught red-handed," Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said in a statement. "They are now facing lengthy prison sentences for their actions.”