'Largest Jewelry Heist In US History' Linked To 2 Inland Empire Men: Feds

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Two Inland Empire men were named in a June 11 federal indictment that alleges they were part of "what is considered to be the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history."

Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, a.k.a. "Walter Loza," 41, of Rialto, and Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, of Upland, were among seven defendants charged in the July 2022 heist of a Brinks semitruck in which approximately $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches were allegedly stolen.

The indictment, returned June 11, charges all defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipment and theft from interstate and foreign shipment.

Lugo was also charged with two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by robbery.

According to the indictment, on the evening of July 10, 2022, Lugo and two other defendants — Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena, and Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, of South Los Angeles — scouted the Brinks truck leaving an international jewelry show in Northern California's San Mateo.

The truck was allegedly hauling 73 bags containing millions of dollars worth of jewelry.

From the evening of July 10 to the morning of July 11, the men, along with three co-defendants — Jazael Padilla Resto, 36, of Boyle Heights, Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, of Los Angeles, and Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, of Los Angeles — followed the Brinks truck for about 300 miles from the jewelry show southward, to rest stops in Buttonwillow and Lebec, north of Los Angeles.

While the truck was stopped in Lebec, the defendants allegedly pulled off their heist.

In the days that followed, Mestanza, Presilla, Alban, Lugo, and Valencia deactivated their cellphone numbers that they were using during the theft, according to federal prosecutors.

It wasn't the only heist for some of the co-defendants, prosecutors allege.

Mestanza, Padilla, Lugo, and Valencia allegedly stole $240,573 worth of Samsung electronics from an interstate cargo shipment in Ontario on March 2, 2022.

Those same defendants, along with Alban, allegedly robbed a box truck driver of $57,377 worth of Apple AirTags. One of the robbers brandished a knife and threatened the driver, according to prosecutors.

On May 25, 2022, the defendants allegedly attempted to steal from a truck at a Fontana rest stop using a crowbar to break in. Shortly after, the same defendants successfully stole approximately $14,081 worth of Samsung electronics from another interstate shipment in Fontana, according to prosecutors.

If convicted as charged, Mestanza, Padilla, Lugo, Valencia, and Alban face statutory maximum sentences of 20 years in federal prison for each robbery charge. All the defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the theft conspiracy charge and 10 years in federal prison for each theft charge.

The cases against the men are ongoing.

Some of the stolen jewelry was recovered during the June 16 execution of search warrants, according to federal prosecutors.

The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Fontana Police Department, and the Ontario Police Department investigated the alleged crimes.