Venezuelan Sentenced to 18 Years for Robbing Denver Jewelry Store at the Direction of Tren de Aragua

DENVER - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jesus Lara del Toro, 22, of Venezuela, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in connection with the armed robbery of the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store. Lara del Toro pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.

According to the indictment and facts established at sentencing, Lara del Toro and others entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38^th Avenue in Denver on the afternoon of June 24, 2024. During the robbery, employees and customers were held at gunpoint, several employees were beaten with firearms, and nearly $4 million worth of gold and jewelry were stolen. Multiple victims were injured in the attack. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas, area. The defendants in this case, including Lara del Toro, committed this crime acting under the directives of international Tren de Aragua (TdA) leadership.

"The District of Colorado continues to pursue the total elimination of the Tren de Aragua gang in Colorado, and sentences like this send a strong message that we will not tolerate this violence in our communities," said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. "I hope the victims of this violent attack take some solace in justice being served as these criminals are sent to federal prison."

"The violent crime behind this case and HSI's broader Denver-area investigation into Tren de Aragua marks the beginning of the end for this criminal group," said HSI Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. "The professionalism of HSI Denver and El Paso agents, along with our FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office partners in Colorado and Texas, demonstrate the strength of a whole-of-government law enforcement approach."

"The video surveillance of the jewelry store robbery was shocking in its violence, prompting an immediate action from local and federal partners. The crew that planned and carried out the robbery knew people would be inside, and they fully intended to terrorize anyone present during the robbery's commission," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. "The FBI Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force in collaboration with our partners tracked them down and brought them back to face justice. This sentence reflects the decisions the defendant chose to make."

Two other defendants, Jean Torres-Roman and Newman Castillo Delgado were previously sentenced. A fourth defendant will be sentenced later this year.

United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Denver, the Denver Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Division, FBI El Paso Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, and West Texas Anti-Gang Center. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak.

These cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Rocky Mountain HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Marshals Service (USMS); Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO); and United States Customs and Border Patrol with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.

Case Numbers: 24-CR-00247-NYW and 25-CR-00331-PAB