Three men were convicted last week in Middlesex Superior Court of charges stemming from a large-scale burglary ring targeting South Asian homeowners in 25 towns, including Hopkinton, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.

The defendants all are from Rhode Island: Jovan Lemon, 30, of Providence, Paul Lemon, 31, of Warwick, and Steven Berdugo, 29, of Providence. They are part of an organized burglary ring with ties to a violent Providence-based gang known to law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office stated when the trio was arrested in April 2024.

The defendants were indicted by a Middlesex grand jury on April 18, 2024, in connection with 43 break-ins across 25 towns in Massachusetts between July 21, 2018, and March 30, 2024. In addition to Hopkinton, communities impacted included Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Easton, Lincoln, Weston, Sudbury, Andover, Bellingham, Boxford, Franklin, Hudson, Littleton, Medway, Middleton, Millis, North Attleboro, Norwell, Pembroke, Seekonk, Sharon, Southborough, Wenham and Westwood.

Jovan and Paul Lemon both pleaded guilty to 32 counts of unarmed burglary and three counts of breaking and entering a dwelling house in the daytime with intent to commit a felony. Berdugo pleaded guilty to seven counts of unarmed burglary. Judge Patrick Haggan sentenced Jovan Lemon to 10-13 years in the Massachusetts Department of Correction. Paul Lemon and Steven Berdugo were sentenced to 9-12 years in the Massachusetts House of Correction.

“Today these three defendants pled guilty to their role in a sophisticated and calculated scheme that targeted victims based upon their ethnicity and caused fear and pain in our Indian and South Asian communities,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan noted in a statement Tuesday. “The defendants believed that households of these families were more likely to contain precious metals, jewelry and other valuable heirlooms.

“These defendants were disciplined about concealing their identity and used technology, including Wi-Fi jammers, to execute their plans,” she continued. “Despite these challenges, local law enforcement agencies worked diligently and collaboratively to identify the perpetrators and, in some cases, to recover a significant amount of jewelry and other property.”

Property reported stolen in the breaks included many pieces of jewelry set with diamonds and other gems, with values of individual pieces up to approximately $75,000, as well as large quantities of cash. In several instances, the property had been secured in locked safes weighing up to 400 pounds. The defendants removed the safes from residences, along with stolen valuables and money. The aggregate reported value of the stolen property exceeded $4 million.

These convictions are the result of a nine-month investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney’s Office, and the Massachusetts State Police Division of Homeland Security, including the MACrimeNet program operated by the MSP Fusion Center. Police departments from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire assisted in the investigation, including the Hopkinton Police Department. The United States Marshals Service and the Rhode Island State Police Task Force also provided help.

“The Massachusetts State Police remains committed to disrupting organized crime because of its enormous effect on community safety and residents’ quality of life,” stated MSP Col. Geoffrey Noble. “I commend sworn and professional members assigned to the Commonwealth Fusion Center and our partner agencies who used their training and skill to achieve justice. This case illustrates the ability of Massachusetts law enforcement to work together, share information in complex cases, and take action on behalf of victims.”