United States federal immigration authorities have allowed a suspect charged in what is described as the country’s largest jewellery heist to leave the US voluntarily, a decision that has effectively enabled him to avoid a criminal trial and potential prison sentence.
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Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was among seven individuals charged in connection with a $100 million jewellery theft carried out in 2022 at a highway rest stop north of Los Angeles. According to investigators, the group targeted an armoured truck and made off with a vast cache of high-value items, including luxury watches, diamonds, emeralds, gold and rubies.
Flores was facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted. However, court records show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) granted his request for voluntary departure in December last year, a move that surprised and frustrated prosecutors handling the case.
Suspect in $100M jewel heist walks free — because he was deported https://t.co/ZGcxTkZJhC pic.twitter.com/UiMxrUZ2i9
— New York Post (@nypost) January 22, 2026
Despite being a lawful permanent resident of the United States, Flores was taken into ICE custody in September. He subsequently opted to leave the country rather than remain in detention while awaiting trial. Although a judge initially rejected his request, a final order of removal was later issued.
While Flores had reportedly sought deportation to Chile, he was ultimately deported to Ecuador. Prosecutors were not informed in advance of the decision, raising questions about coordination between immigration authorities and the justice system.
ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. The decision has drawn criticism from legal experts, who argue that allowing a suspect in such a major criminal case to leave the country undermines the prosecution process. Former federal prosecutor Laurie Levenson described the situation as a serious breakdown in communication between agencies.
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“This really was the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing,” she said, adding that the move could make it extremely difficult to bring Flores back to face trial in the United States. The case has renewed debate over how immigration enforcement decisions intersect with high-profile criminal prosecutions.