Two Colombian nationals have been brought to the United States to face federal charges for their alleged roles in a sophisticated burglary ring that hit mall jewelry stores across the country, federal authorities announced today.
Elvis Guevara Quintero, 51, and Jaime Torres Castiblanco, 51, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford on Aug. 28, entering pleas of not guilty. Both men were arrested in Colombia on Aug. 12, 2025, at the request of American authorities, and remained held in custody until their extradition.
The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, alongside P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s New Haven Division.
According to court filings, the pair worked with several other Colombian nationals between May 2023 and April 2024 to target jewelry shops and mall kiosks. Federal prosecutors say the crew ran reconnaissance missions ahead of time, posing as regular shoppers to get a close look at high-value pieces and evaluate store security setups.
During the break-ins, the group forced their way into closed shops after hours, at times cutting openings directly through drywall. Once inside, they smashed or pried open locked display cases before fleeing with the goods.
Court records link the crew to burglaries spanning multiple states, including:
- Paterson, New Jersey, on May 17, 2023
- Mentor, Ohio, on July 21, 2023
- Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Aug. 14, 2023
- Greece, New York, on Sept. 20, 2023
- Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, on Oct. 5, 2023
- Lombard, Illinois, on Oct. 17, 2023
- Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on Oct. 27, 2023
- Henrico, Virginia, on Nov. 4, 2023
- Horseheads, New York, on April 18, 2024
Investigators noted the group also cased other targets across Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware.
Total losses from the run of break-ins topped $4.4 million. Law enforcement officials have not recovered any of the stolen items. The investigation determined that a large share of the jewelry went to a Queens, New York shop owner, who resold the pieces to buyers who melted down the gold.
A federal grand jury in New Haven handed down an indictment on July 16, 2024, charging both men with one count of conspiracy and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. The conspiracy charge carries up to five years in federal prison, while the transportation charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt, noting that charges are allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The case was investigated by the FBI New Haven Transnational Organized Crime Task Force alongside numerous local and state departments, including the Milford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang is leading the prosecution.
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