Jorge Mario Garrido Arrested for Intercepting Police Radio in Chile

Jorge Mario Garrido, a 63-year-old digital reporter known as “Viejo Chico” and the face of the outlet VivoNoticias, is currently held in preventative detention after being arrested on October 9 at his home in Lo Espejo for allegedly using an unauthorized Motorola radio to intercept encrypted police communications from Carabineros.

The Arrest in Lo Espejo and the OS9 Raid

Personal from the OS9 unit of Carabineros executed a raid on October 9 at Garrido’s residence following an investigation directed by the Fiscalía Metropolitana Sur. chilevision.cl reported that during the search, law enforcement officers recovered a portable Motorola radio lacking any operational authorization, alongside a green polar hat bearing the Carabineros de Chile logo and a yellow crime-scene evidence marker belonging to the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI).enfoquedigital.cl noted that the 10th Guarantee Court of Santiago authorized the search warrant that brought police to the property.

🚨 Jorge Mario Garrido, de 63 años, conocido en redes sociales como “Viejo Chico” y administrador de la cuenta VivoNoticias, quedó en prisión preventiva tras ser formalizado en una investigación que apuntaba al uso de un equipo radial de Carabineros para acceder a comunicaciones… pic.twitter.com/jUzHwaEjGB

— https://x.com/chvnoticias/status/2113762752351048176

Following the raid, the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública filed a formal criminal complaint against Garrido. The charges include illicit interception of telecommunications, receiving computerized data, and utilizing prohibited hardware designed to tap signal transmissions.

Commercializing Sierra Tango on Encrypted Channels

According to the legal filing, Garrido administered a WhatsApp group titled “Zello gratuita para radio tipo de celular walkie-talkie”. Through this messaging hub, the suspect allegedly distributed and commercialized unauthorized access to another closed network named Sierra Tango, which carried live radio broadcasts originating from the Carabineros central communications hub.

Subsecretaria Pilar Giannini addressed the severity of the operation in public statements regarding the ongoing prosecution. Esto es un hecho grave, no solo porque pone en riesgo a la ciudadía, sino que también a nuestras policías, Giannini explained, emphasizing the institutional decision to join the legal action.

The formalization hearing took place before the 10th Guarantee Court, where prosecutors charged Garrido with continuous and consummated infractions against telecommunications laws. The court established a strict 90-day window for the ongoing investigation while the accused remains remanded in custody.

Racing Traditional Media to Crime Scenes

Garrido built a substantial digital footprint across TikTok and Instagram, accumulating more than 280,000 followers by broadcasting breaking police events in real time. His signature operational style involved arriving at active crime scenes ahead of traditional news crews and, on multiple occasions, beating the initial police response.

Photo: enfoquedigital.cl

In a 2024 interview with La Hora, the digital reporter detailed his methods while recounting high-profile cases. En ese caso me enteré en el instante porque alguien me avisó y tu tuve acceso a comunicaciones de emergencia, Garrido stated regarding his early arrival at the Maipú settlement where the body of Ronald Ojeda was discovered, as well as the quintuple homicide in Lampa. His broadcasts routinely displayed unfiltered, graphic imagery before authorities could establish formal perimeters.