ICE Accidentally Deports Person of Interest in the Largest Jewelry Robbery in US History

US immigration authorities allowed one of the suspects in a jewelry robbery case worth up to $100 million to leave the country on his own and travel to South America. The decision, made in December, came as a surprise to prosecutors who had been preparing to take the case to trial and seek a prison sentence, The Guardian writes .

We are talking about Heson Nelon Presile Flores. He was part of a group of seven people accused of robbing a cash-in-transit truck in 2022. According to investigators, the attackers followed the car, which stopped at a roadside parking lot north of Los Angeles, and stole diamonds, emeralds, gold, rubies and expensive watches.

Flores faced up to 15 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and theft of interstate and international cargo. He did not admit guilt.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Flores in late December after he requested voluntary departure, according to court documents. However, ICE did not provide official comments.

Flores' attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the criminal case entirely. Prosecutors objected and said they wanted to preserve the ability to reopen the prosecution in the future if Flores returned to the United States.

Despite being a permanent resident and free on bail, Flores was placed in ICE custody in September. Prosecutors say they were unaware of his immigration case and learned of his deportation after the fact.

According to the defense, the deportation violated the defendant's right to a fair trial. Prosecutors admit that Flores ultimately avoided trial and possible punishment.

Former prosecutors call the situation extremely unusual. Typically, immigration authorities coordinate such actions with the prosecution, especially in cases of this size. The affected jewelry companies also demand an explanation. Their representatives said that due to the departure of the accused, the victims were left without a trial and without an answer to the question of justice.

The robbery took place in July 2022 after a jewelry show in the San Francisco area. The victims estimated the damage at more than $100 million, but Brinks claims that the real value of the stolen goods was much lower. According to the lawsuit, at the time of the theft, one of the truck drivers was sleeping, and the second went out to get food, which the attackers took advantage of. The robbery is considered the largest jewelry theft in the country's history, writes The Guardian.