A 27-year-old East Palo Alto man, Francisco Antonio Cruz Ramirez, was sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison on June 5 for his role in a series of residential burglaries that netted nearly $2 million in stolen goods across the San Francisco Peninsula. Cruz Ramirez, who also resides in Modesto, pleaded no contest in April 2025 to 13 counts of felony residential burglary and admitted to a violent felony enhancement on eight of those counts.
The plea agreement, which capped his maximum sentence at 20 years, also led to the dismissal of a separate drug possession case filed against him while in jail. San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Sean P.
Dabel handed down the sentence and denied probation. San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe called the sentence "strong," emphasizing that it would keep the burglar incarcerated for many years.
Wagstaffe noted that the dismissed counts could still be considered for restitution, potentially holding Cruz Ramirez liable for up to $2 million. Defense attorney Brandon Douglass indicated he plans to file an appeal focusing on the sentence, though he acknowledged the court's thorough analysis of the case.
Between September 2018 and May 2019, Cruz Ramirez committed 57 residential burglaries, targeting homes in South San Francisco, Hillsborough, Foster City, Belmont, Burlingame, San Mateo, San Bruno, and areas under the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department jurisdiction. He operated alongside his brother, Raul Ramirez Cruz, 30, of Patterson, California, who pleaded no contest in 2023 to one count of felony accessory and received a two-year sentence.
The brothers stole more than 100 firearms and broke into five homes that were occupied at the time. They typically gained entry by breaking sliding glass doors.
A year-long investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies and the county gang intelligence unit led to a $5 million arrest warrant for Cruz Ramirez in January 2020. On April 15, 2020, police in Modesto attempted to stop his vehicle for a traffic violation, but he led them on a lengthy chase that ended in a crash.
He was hospitalized for injuries but fled the hospital before being apprehended. He remains in custody on $2,850,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 8 for a restitution hearing.