A Colombian national has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for his role in a multi-state jewelry theft ring that targeted mall stores and kiosks, including locations in Horseheads and Greece, New York.
Jorge Giovanni Escobar Gonzalez, 41, of Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced to 57 months in prison by a federal judge in Connecticut after pleading guilty in April to transporting stolen property across state lines.
Federal prosecutors say that between May 2023 and April 2024, Escobar Gonzalez and several co-conspirators carried out coordinated burglaries at jewelry stores in at least seven states, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Connecticut, Illinois, and Virginia. Investigators say the group conducted surveillance in advance, with Escobar Gonzalez at times posing as a customer to assess merchandise and security.
The New York incidents included a September 20, 2023, break-in at a jewelry store in Greece and another burglary in Horseheads. Authorities say Escobar Gonzalez helped break into stores and display cases while other members served as lookouts.
The theft ring stole more than $4.4 million worth of jewelry, none of which has been recovered.
The FBI’s New Haven Transnational Organized Crime Task Force led the investigation, working with state and local agencies, including New York State Police and the Greece Police Department.
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