- Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was deported to Ecuador in December 2025, avoiding trial
- Flores was charged in 2024 for a $100 million jewellery heist but pleaded not guilty initially
- He waived immigration rights, chose self-deportation, and admitted allegations in immigration court
Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, a suspect in one of the largest jewellery heists in US history, was deported to Ecuador in December 2025. Because of the deportation, it appears that Flores now walks free, avoiding trial for the alleged theft of $100 million worth of diamonds, emeralds, gold, rubies and luxury watches from a Brinks truck in July 2022. The case "exposes a gap in the system" as the accused avoided criminal charges by leaving American soil.
Flores was charged last year by the US Department of Justice along with six other men for their alleged involvement in the heist. He was particularly charged with stalking armored truck. If convicted, Flores faced 15 years in federal prison. However, during his initial court appearance in June 2025, he pleaded not guilty.
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As per the Court filings, Flores was granted release on bond in August, CBS News reported, further adding that he was transferred to "the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a detainer".
The report mentioned that federal prosecutors said they "were unaware of any immigration detainer" before receiving the transfer notice on September 2, 2025. According to the ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) records, the accused was a legal permanent resident as of March 4, 2025.
"Unbeknownst to the prosecutors, defendant was taken into immigration custody," the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in court filings. "There, he faced two options: (1) assert his lawful permanent residence status, fight his criminal case, and face a potentially lengthy criminal sentence only to possibly be deported after his release; or (2) waive his immigration rights, functionally self-deport, and avoid criminal exposure all together. He chose the latter."
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Notably, he had earlier pleaded not guilty, but he admitted to the allegations against him during the immigration hearing on December 16 and asked to be deported to Chile. He was ultimately deported to Ecuador.
His attorney, John D Robertson, reportedly got to know about the deportation in early January. He alerted the US Attorney handling the case in an email on January 8, and the next day, Robertson filed a motion to dismiss the case.
US Assistant United States Attorney Jena A MacCabe responded to Robertson with "genuine surprise about the deportation" because of Presilla's "legal status", the Court filings showed, according to the report.
Assistant US Attorneys Kevin Butler and MacCabe were stunned by the entire process, and said they were unaware of it, as per the court filings, the New York Post reported.
While speaking to the Los Angeles Times, attorney Jerry Kroll, representing some of the jewellers whose merchandise was stolen, said, "For our clients - jewelers who lost their life's work - this outcome exposes a gap in the system that deserves transparency."
"For our clients - jewelers who lost their life's work - this outcome exposes a gap in the system that deserves transparency."
Flores faces potential future prosecution if he returns to the US.
