Judge sets $1M bond for men in boat theft, chase

FORT MYERS, Fla.- The three men accused of stealing a boat and leading authorities on a chase from Fort Myers Beach to Cuba are being held on more than $1 million bond.

Deputies say David Llanes Vasquez, 33, Raul Delavega-Sauri, 25, and Vidal Benhur Ramirez-Farfan, 25, stole a 36-foot speed boat and led them on a high speed chase for almost 20 hours.

In court Monday morning, a Lee County judge determined the men were a flight risk, saying there is concern they could leave the country. All three men face burglary and grand theft charges. Vasquez is also facing additional charges for dumping eight barrels of fuel off of that boat during the chase.

“It’s clear that there’s a profitable industry out there whether it be human beings or contraband.These go-fast boats as we’ve all seen are capable of doing a lot in short order,” said Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott.

Lee County deputies say the three men somehow cut the alarm system and took off with the “go-fast” boat Thursday near Old Pelican Bay Drive on Fort Myers Beach. The suspects fled the area after attempting to ram a sheriff’s office boat, authorities said.
“Luckily we were able to just get out of the way right at the last minute. We had to pull out boat out of the way or they were going to come over the top of us,” said LCSO Lieutenant Christopher Nyce with the marine unit.

Investigators say this is just one in a string of stolen go-fast boats along the west coast in recent months and authorities are looking into a possible connection.

The owner of the stolen boat released a statement saying, “I’m happy the suspects were caught and I appreciate all the investigators who helped make it happen.”