NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Seven individuals have been indicted in connection with an organized jewelry theft ring that targeted mall-based stores and kiosks across the United States, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller. The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2024, was partially unsealed this week.
Among those charged are Edixon Rincon Puentes, 44, formerly of Los Angeles, California; Harold Ramirez Cagua, also known as “Gordo,” 40, of Miami, Florida; Yesenia Melendez Rincon, 40, of Kissimmee, Florida; and Jorge Giovanni Escobar Gonzalez, 40, also of Kissimmee. While Rincon Puentes, Ramirez Cagua, and Escobar Gonzalez are currently in custody, Melendez Rincon has been released to home confinement with location monitoring. The identities of three additional defendants remain under seal, and they are currently being sought by law enforcement.
The indictment alleges that between May 2023 and April 2024, the group burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks at malls across the country, including locations in Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, and New York. Notably, they targeted the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, on October 5, 2023, and establishments in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, Henrico, Virginia, and Horseheads, New York. The total losses from these burglaries exceeded $1.28 million. The conspirators also cased additional stores in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware.
The defendants face charges of conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five and 10 years in federal prison, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Avery emphasized that an indictment is not proof of guilt, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
