Suspect in $100M Jewelry Heist Gets Deported, Sidestepping Trial

In the sprawling case over what authorities say is the biggest jewelry heist the US has ever seen, one key defendant just exited the country—and potentially the courtroom—for good. Court filings reveal that Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores to Ecuador around Dec. 29, even as he faced federal charges tied to the 2022 Brink's truck heist that stripped jewelers of an estimated $100 million in gems and watches. Flores, one of seven men indicted, had pleaded not guilty and was staring at up to 15 years in prison on conspiracy and theft counts if convicted. His removal has effectively frozen the case against him and sparked questions about how two arms of the federal government appeared to work at cross-purposes, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Flores' attorney has asked a judge to toss the indictment "with prejudice," which would bar refiling if Flores ever returns to the US. Prosecutors are pushing back, saying they were blindsided by ICE's move and want the case dismissed without prejudice because they still intend to prosecute Flores should he come back. They say Flores opted against relief in immigration court, essentially choosing to functionally self-deport rather than remain in the US to fight the criminal charges and risk prison—a move his lawyer frames as the government abandoning prosecution, and they frame as a defendant exploiting the system. A judge has not yet ruled. Flores ended up in ICE custody last year despite being a lawful permanent resident, the AP reports. He ultimately asked to be deported, CBS News reports.

The deportation has angered the 14 jewelers who lost what one attorney called their "life's work" when thieves allegedly cracked open a Brink's semi during a 27-minute window at a California truck stop while one guard slept and another grabbed food. Much of the stolen property remains missing. Five suspects have been arrested so far, including Flores; two remain at large. Legal experts say it's highly unusual for a defendant in a major federal case to be deported before trial without a coordinated deal, calling the episode a breakdown in communication between prosecutors and immigration authorities.