The name of this suspect is Heson Nelon Presilia Flores. He is considered one of seven members of a group accused of robbing an armored truck in 2022. According to investigators, the criminals tracked a vehicle that stopped at a roadside rest area north of Los Angeles and stole jewelry, including diamonds, emeralds, gold, rubies, and expensive watches.
Flores faced up to 15 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and theft of goods in interstate and international commerce, but he did not plead guilty.
According to court documents, at the end of December, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Flores at his own request for voluntary departure. No official comments have been made by the agency.
Flores' attorney filed a motion to dismiss the criminal case, but prosecutors opposed it, wishing to retain the option to reopen the case in the future if the defendant returns to the U.S.
As reported by The Guardian, Flores had permanent resident status in the U.S. and was out on bail, but was taken into custody by ICE in September. Prosecutors claim they were unaware of his immigration case and learned about the deportation only after it occurred.
The defense argues that the deportation violated Flores' right to a fair trial, and prosecutors acknowledge that as a result, he avoided court and potential punishment.
Former prosecutors noted that the situation is unusual, as immigration authorities typically coordinate such decisions with the prosecution, especially in cases of this magnitude. Additionally, the jewelry companies affected by the robbery are demanding explanations, claiming that due to the defendant's departure, they were left without a trial and answers regarding justice.
The robbery occurred in July 2022 after a jewelry exhibition in the San Francisco area. Victims estimated the damage at more than $100 million, although Brinks claims that the actual value of the stolen items was significantly lower. According to the lawsuit, at the time of the theft, one of the truck drivers was asleep, while the other had stepped out for food. The Guardian reports that this robbery is considered the largest in U.S. history in terms of the number of stolen jewelry items.
