Federal prosecutors say they’ve finally arrested the real-life “Ocean’s Eleven” — or, more accurately, the “Pacific Ocean’s Seven” responsible for the largest jewel heist in US history.
Officials charged seven men with the theft of $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, high-end watches, and other treasure from a Brink’s armored truck driving through California in July 2022.
The indictment came three years after the Hollywood-style robbery, which the Department of Justice said was the biggest jewelry grab in the country’s history.
The precious cargo had been loaded onto a Brink’s truck the night before, following a gem and jewelry show south of San Francisco, and was being driven 300 miles away to another showcase northeast of Los Angeles.
The crooks ambushed the truck at a rest stop and made off with 73 bags stuffed with rare, one-of-a-kind pieces, including diamonds, emeralds and rubies, according to officials and reports.
FBI agents recovered some of the stolen loot while executing a search warrant on Monday, the DoJ said in a statement.
The alleged band of thieves is from the Los Angeles area and faces up to 20 years in prison.
One of the suspects, Jazael Padilla Resto, is already doing time in an Arizona state prison for a separate charge of breaking and entering, the Department added.
Several others are accused of additional truck heists, including intercepting shipments of Samsung electronics and a truck full of Apple AirTags, officials said.
All seven defendants face various conspiracy and theft charges, and five face charges of interference with commerce by robbery. They could be sentenced to decades in federal prison if convicted.
The defendants are:
- Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena
- Jazael Padilla Resto — a.k.a. “Ricardo Noel Moya,” “Ricardo Barbosa,” and “Alberto Javier Loza Chamorro” — 36, of Boyle Heights
- Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, a.k.a. “Walter Loza,” 41, of Rialto
- Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, of the Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles
- Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, of South Los Angeles
- Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, of Upland
- Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles
