A San Antonio man has been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay more than $32,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to stealing two Corvettes from dealerships in Boerne, Texas.
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The Plea Agreement
Jose Israel Barrera Jr., 36, accepted a plea deal in Kendall County, admitting to the vehicle thefts and to illegal possession of a firearm. As part of the sentencing, Barrera was ordered to repay the affected dealerships: Mark Motors and Jaguar of Boerne each will receive a share of the restitution total.
How the Case Began
The investigation started last September after police received a tip about suspicious activity at Mark Motors. Investigators later located Barrera driving on Scenic Loop Road with a truck and trailer, which he claimed was hauling a Corvette from Midland. Officers determined the vehicle in the trailer, a gray 2009 Corvette worth nearly $90,000, had actually been stolen, along with the trailer itself, which had a painted-over VIN.
Additional Charges From the Arrest
Barrera attempted to flee and struggled with officers before being taken into custody. A search of his vehicle turned up a firearm, a paintball gun loaded with pink paintballs, bolt cutters, and gloves. He later admitted to a second theft, involving a 2011 Corvette ZR1 taken from Jaguar of Boerne using the paintballs to obscure security cameras and an ATV to move the vehicle.
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Case Now Closed
With sentencing complete and restitution ordered, the case brings a close to a months-long investigation into what police described as an elaborate scheme targeting high-end vehicles at Boerne-area dealerships.