US Immigrant Accused of $100M Jewelry Heist Deports Himself to Escape Trial

In a bizarre twist that has left many scratching their heads, a US immigrant facing charges for one of the biggest jewelry thefts in American history has managed to deport himself back to South America, dodging a potential 15-year prison sentence. Federal immigration authorities approved the self-deportation of Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, allowing him to skip trial and vanish without a trace.

The 42-year-old Flores was one of seven suspects nabbed last year for allegedly tailing a Brinks armored truck to a remote rest stop on a California freeway in July 2022. The gang reportedly made off with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, gold, and high-end watches worth over $100 million, making it what prosecutors call the largest jewelry heist in US history. However, Brinks, the security company involved, disputes the figure, claiming the stolen goods were valued at under $10 million.

Flores, a lawful permanent resident in the US, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipments, as well as the theft itself. If convicted, he could have faced up to 15 years behind bars. But in a move that shocked prosecutors, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported him to Ecuador late last month after he requested voluntary departure during an immigration hearing on December 16. The judge denied his initial application but issued a final removal order, and Flores was shipped out without the knowledge of federal prosecutors.

According to court filings, Flores was out on bail when he was transferred to ICE custody in September due to an immigration detainer that prosecutors say they were unaware of. His attorney, John D. Robertson, has since filed a motion to dismiss the indictment permanently, arguing that the deportation violated his client’s rights to a fair criminal prosecution.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, are fuming and have asked for the charges to be dropped “without prejudice,” meaning they could refile if Flores ever returns to the US. In their opposition to the dismissal motion, they wrote: “Prosecutors are supposed to allow the civil immigration process to play out independently while criminal charges are pending. That is exactly what they did in this case — unwittingly to defendant’s benefit in that he will now avoid trial, and any potential conviction and sentence, unless and until he returns to the United States.”

The victims, including several jewelry companies, are not happy about this development. Their lawyer, Jerry Kroll, told the Los Angeles Times: “When a defendant in a major federal theft case leaves the country before trial, victims are left without answers, without a verdict, and without closure.” The jewelers are now demanding explanations from immigration authorities on how this slip-up happened.

Experts say this case is highly unusual, especially given the scale of the crime. Former federal prosecutor Laurie Levenson remarked to The Associated Press: “It’s just beyond me how they would deport him without the prosecutors … being in on the conversation. This really was the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.” In minor cases, self-deportation might be an option to avoid prosecution, but for something this big, it’s raising eyebrows across the board.

The heist itself was straight out of a Hollywood movie. The suspects allegedly stalked the Brinks tractor-trailer after it left an international jewelry show near San Francisco, loaded with bags of precious gems. At the rest stop, while one driver was asleep in the vehicle and the other was getting food, the thieves broke in and cleaned out the loot, according to a lawsuit filed by the security company.

Flores’ attorney alerted prosecutors about the deportation via email on January 8, leaving them stunned and scrambling to salvage the case. As things stand, the other six suspects are still facing trial, but this escape act by Flores has cast a shadow over the entire proceedings.