"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," said Jerry Kroll, an attorney for some of the jewelry companies."
"For our clients-jewelers who lost their life's work-this outcome exposes a gap in the system that deserves transparency. They are entitled to clear answers about how this happened and whether safeguards exist to prevent it from happening again."
Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, one of seven men charged in the 2022 Brinks big rig theft of roughly $100 million in gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and watches, was deported to Ecuador on or about December 29. Flores had been in ICE custody since September and elected deportation while federal charges remained pending; his attorney filed a Jan. 9 motion to dismiss after learning of the deportation. Flores faces up to 15 years if convicted of conspiracy and theft from interstate and foreign shipment and has pleaded not guilty. Investigators pursued leads globally, apprehending at least one suspect in Panama, and much of the stolen property remains unrecovered. Victims and their lawyers say the deportation leaves jewelers without answers, a verdict, or closure and raises questions about procedural safeguards.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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