Seven men are facing federal charges after authorities connected them to a daring break-in of a Brinks semi-truck in Lebec back in 2022, where they made off with around $100 million in jewelry. This haul was being transported from near San Francisco to a jewelry show in Pasadena, according to officials. Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, stated that this jewelry heist is now considered the largest in U.S. history.
Some of the stolen jewelry was recovered when search warrants were executed on Monday, June 16. The truck was loaded with 73 bags filled with millions of dollars' worth of jewelry.
Two of the suspects are set to make their first appearances in federal court on Tuesday after their recent arrests, as reported by federal authorities. Six of the accused allegedly followed the Brinks truck for over 300 miles from San Mateo to rest stops in Buttonwillow and Lebec, north of Los Angeles, from the evening of July 10, 2022, into the next morning. They, along with others not named in the indictment, reportedly stole 24 bags of jewelry from the truck.
In the days that followed, five of the defendants are said to have deactivated the cell phones they used during the heist.
The defendants include:
- Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, from Pasadena
- Jazael Padilla Resto, 36, from Boyle Heights
- Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, 41, from Rialto
- Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, from Rampart Village in Los Angeles
- Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, from South Los Angeles
- Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, from Upland
- Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, from the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles
Padilla Resto is currently in custody in Arizona, serving time for third-degree burglary with unlawful entry, McEvoy noted. He is expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. The status of the other six men remains unclear.
All but Ibarra are accused of being involved on the night of the heist, McEvoy added. Mestanza, Lugo, and Alban are said to have scouted the Brinks truck as it left the international jewelry store in San Mateo.
According to authorities, some of the men had taken part in electronics heists in the months leading up to the jewelry heist.
All seven men are facing two federal counts of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipment, as well as theft related to the jewelry heist, McEvoy stated. Mestanza, Padilla, Lugo, Valencia, and Alban are also facing two extra charges of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and additional counts of theft from interstate and foreign shipment. If found guilty of these extra charges, the five men could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each robbery charge. All seven defendants would face 10 years for each theft charge and five years for each conspiracy charge if convicted.