St. Croix Woman Sentenced for Hobbs Act Robbery Plot

ST. THOMAS, USVI – Aracelis N. Ayala, a/k/a ‘Gordita’ and ‘Fluff,’ was this week found guilty by a federal jury for her role in a brazen Hobbs Act robbery plot that targeted Signature Jewelers on St. Thomas.

The 34-year-old defendant faces up to 20 years for each Hobbs Act robbery count, alongside a mandatory minimum of seven years for brandishing a firearm during the crime of violence. Judge Curtis V. Gomez has remanded Ayala into custody until her sentencing on June 29, 2017.

According to evidence at trial, Ayala was an integral part of a crew that meticulously planned and executed the jewelry store heist. She contributed to the conspiracy by providing cash and a firearm, renting a vehicle, and securing hotel accommodations. The gang used force and intimidation, threatening employees with a handgun and duct tape before escaping with cash and merchandise.

Ayala’s cohorts, Turrel Thomas, 21, and Raheem Miller, a/k/a ‘Caesar,’ 24, have also pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and related firearm offenses. All defendants await sentencing on June 22, 2017.

The case against Ayala and her associates was the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department, prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anna A. Vlasova and Sigrid Tejo-Sprotte.