A man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in a jewelry theft ring authorities say was made up of Columbian nationals who targeted malls in various parts of the country — including one in Connecticut — and allegedly stole more than $4 million worth of merchandise that has never been recovered.
Jorge Giovanni Escobar Gonzalez, 41, a citizen of Colombia last residing in Kissimmee, Florida, faced sentencing on Thursday in federal court in Bridgeport where he was handed down a 57-month prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Federal officials said Escobar Gonzalez was identified as a member of an organized jewelry theft ring that targeted mall-based stores and kiosks across the country between May 2023 and April 2024. The ring, authorities allege, was made up of several Colombian nationals who have been accused of burglarizing the locations before taking the stolen property “or the proceeds from it” across state lines, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Federal officials allege that Escobar Gonzalez and his associates conducted surveillance on the places they targeted before the burglaries to “formulate game plans.” As part of their “reconnaissance” operations, Escobar Gonzalez allegedly posed as a customer on at least one occasion to “examine the desired merchandise and assess the establishment’s security measures,” according to federal authorities.
During the burglaries, Escobar Gonzalez would “frequently” partake in breaking into the stores and display cases with others while their alleged associates would serve as lookouts, officials said.
The ring is believed to have committed burglaries in Paterson, New Jersey, on May 17, 2023; in Mentor, Ohio, on July 21, 2023; in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Aug. 13, 2023; in Greece, New York, on Sept. 20, 2023; at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, on Oct. 5, 2023; in Lombard, Illinois on Oct. 17, 2023; in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on Oct. 27, 2023; and in Henrico, Virginia on Nov. 4, 2023.
The cumulative losses exceeded $4.4 million, authorities said. As of Thursday, none of the stolen jewelry has been recovered by law enforcement.
Authorities believe the ring also “cased” more jewelry stores and kiosks in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Delaware.
Escobar Gonzalez’s sentencing came after he pleaded guilty in April to interstate transportation of stolen property. He has been detained since May 2024 when he was arrested in Florida on state charges related to another jewelry burglary, officials said.