Immigration officials allow suspect in $100M jewelry heist to self deport, avoiding trial
January 21, 2026
Federal immigration authorities allowed a suspect in a $100 million jewelry heist believed to be the largest in U.S. history to deport himself to South America, a move that stunned and upset prosecutors who were planning to try the case and send him to prison. Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was one of seven people charged last year with stalking an armored truck to a rest stop north of Los Angeles and stealing millions worth of jewels in July 2022. Flores faced up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted. Officials deported him to Ecuador.