US immigration authorities allow suspect in $100M jewelry heist to self-deport before trial

Federal migration authorities approved the self-deportation of a fishy successful a $100 cardinal jewelry heist, allowing him to debar proceedings and flight imaginable situation time.

Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, was 1 of 7 radical charged past twelvemonth with pursuing an armored motortruck to a agrarian freeway remainder halt successful California and stealing diamonds, emeralds, gold, rubies and decorator watches successful July 2022, which is believed to beryllium the largest jewelry heist successful U.S. history.

Flores was facing up to 15 years successful national situation if convicted connected charges of conspiracy to perpetrate theft from interstate and overseas shipments and theft from interstate and overseas shipments. He pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Flores precocious past period aft helium asked for a voluntary departure, prosecutors said successful tribunal filings.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO STOLE DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM'S GUCCI BAG PLEADS GUILTY, FACES DEPORTATION

Federal migration authorities allowed a fishy successful a $100 cardinal jewelry heist to deport himself to Ecuador. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The jewelers that the suspects stole from are besides seeking answers from migration authorities.

"When a suspect successful a large national theft lawsuit leaves the state earlier trial, victims are near without answers, without a verdict, and without closure," Jerry Kroll, an lawyer for immoderate of the jewelry companies, told the Los Angeles Times.

Flores' attorney, John D. Robertson, motioned to disregard the indictment against his client, asking for the charges to beryllium permanently dismissed and for the lawsuit to beryllium closed.

Federal prosecutors said they inactive privation to bring Flores to trial, asking for the charges to beryllium dropped "without prejudice" to let for a aboriginal transgression prosecution.

While Flores was a lawful imperishable nonmigratory and released connected bail, helium was transferred to ICE custody successful September, according to tribunal filings. Federal prosecutors said they were unaware helium had an migration detainer.

Robertson argued that this violates his client's transgression prosecution rights and justifies his question to disregard his case.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores precocious past period aft helium asked for a voluntary departure. (Getty Images)

Flores requested deportation to Chile during an migration proceeding connected Dec. 16, according to tribunal documents. The justice denied his voluntary departure exertion but issued a last bid of removal.

He was past deported to Ecuador.

"Prosecutors are expected to let the civilian migration process to play retired independently portion transgression charges are pending," national prosecutors wrote successful their question opposing efforts to disregard the case. "That is precisely what they did successful this lawsuit — unwittingly to defendant’s payment successful that helium volition present debar trial, and immoderate imaginable condemnation and sentence, unless and until helium returns to the United States."

Immigration officials would typically pass prosecutors what was happening if a transgression suspect had migration proceedings against them. In insignificant cases, a suspect tin sometimes take to self-deport alternatively of facing prosecution.

Former national authoritative Laurie Levenson said what happened successful Flores' lawsuit is highly unusual, peculiarly due to the fact that of the value successful this case.

MASSIVE LUXURY HANDBAG HEIST CAUGHT ON CAMERA AS HEAVILY ARMED POLICE SWARM CALIFORNIA STORE

Federal prosecutors said they inactive privation to bring Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores to trial. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

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"It's conscionable beyond maine however they would deport him without the prosecutors … being successful connected the conversation," Levenson told The Associated Press. "This truly was the near manus not knowing what the close manus was doing."

The jewelry heist was carried retired successful July 2022 aft the suspects stalked a Brink's tractor-trailer leaving an planetary jewelry amusement adjacent San Francisco with dozens of bags of jewels, according to the indictment. The victims reported much than $100 cardinal successful losses, but Brink's said the stolen items were worthy nether $10 million.

According to a suit filed by the information company, 1 of the drivers was dormant wrong the conveyance and the different was grabbing nutrient wrong the remainder halt erstwhile the thieves broke in.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.