Brothers Lennie & Randy Brooks Sentenced After Series Of Violent Home Invasions

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Two Wabasha County brothers -- Lennie Brooks and Randy Brooks -- have been sentenced to a combined 50 years in prison for three home invasions in 2018.

Lennie, 34, and Randy, 24, were sentenced to 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively. Accomplice Autumn Nichols, 21, has been sentenced to 10 years. Another accomplice, 30-year-old Esperanza Cardenas, received a four-year sentence. The group was also ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution.

"Lennie and Randy Brooks carefully planned and carried out multiple violent home invasion robberies, one resulting in the death of a victim," said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald.

In October of 2018, the Brooks brothers broke into a private residence in Eden Prairie, as Nichols waited in a getaway car. Law enforcement believes Randy held two victims at gunpoint while Lennie searched the home. During the incident, one of the victims went into cardiac arrest. The brothers did not allow him to get medical attention, and he later died.

Ultimately, the brothers got away with 50,000 in cash. The money was from the Shuang Hur Asian markets in the Twin Cities.

Authorities also say the brothers broke into another private home in Ellendale in September of 2018, while Cardenas waited in a getaway car. They stole $40,000 in cash -- business earnings from the Holland Auction Company.

Then in August of 2018, law enforcement said the brothers broke into a residence in Waite Park, holding two victims at gunpoint before getting off with $180,000 in jewelry, belonging to Trisko Jewelry.

Over two dozen law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.