A Columbian national has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for his role in a jewelry theft ring that targeted malls around the country, including one in Connecticut.
Edixon Rincon Puentes, 45, who last resided in Los Angeles, California, faced a judge on Thursday in federal court in Bridgeport where U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley handed down a 42-month prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
The sentencing comes after Rincon Puentes took a plea deal in November 2024, pleading guilty to conspiracy, officials said.
According to authorities, Rincon Puentes and other Colombian nationals are believed to have burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks in malls in Connecticut and other states between May 2023 and April 2024. Investigators suspect they transported the stolen property or the proceeds from it across state lines.
Before the burglaries, co-conspirators allegedly surveilled the stores and kiosks to formulate game plans, officials said. As part of the reconnaissance work, they allegedly posed as legitimate customers as they assessed the merchandise and the establishment’s security measures, officials said.
Authorities said Rincon Puentes primarily served as a lookout and driver, while others committed burglaries at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford on Oct. 5, 2023, and malls in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on Oct. 27, 2023 and in Henrico, Virginia on Nov. 4, 2023.
According to officials, others involved in the conspiracy also hit additional malls in New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Illinois and Virginia.
Rincon Puentes and associates also allegedly cased additional jewelry stores and kiosks in other states.
The losses attributed to the jewelry ring is suspected to exceed $4.4 million. During the three burglaries involving Rincon Puentes and others, a total of about $938,148 was stolen, authorities said. None of the stolen merchandise has been recovered by police.
Investigators found that much of the stolen goods were sold to a jewelry store owner in Queens, New York, who then sold it to others, including those he knew would melt down the gold.