ST. LOUIS – A trio of Florida men have bared their greedy hands, confessing to a string of sophisticated jewelry heists that struck St. Louis County’s affluent neighborhoods, including Ladue and Chesterfield.
Their leader, Benjamin Andres Ovalle-Taibo, 33, and his cohorts, Jonathan Vejar-Caro, also 33, found themselves in the dock on Wednesday as they pleaded guilty to federal charges related to their criminal activities. ovalle-Taibo was nailed for conspiracy to commit transportation of stolen goods, while Vejar-Caro took the fall for simply transporting stolen wares.
Joining them is Henry Jose Ferreira-Perez, now 21, who entered a guilty plea in December and has been locked away for 14 months. The trio, it appears, were a well-oiled machine, plotting their moves on June 9, 2023, when they descended upon St. Louis County to scope out potential targets. Their first hit was a Ladue residence, where they lifted over $330,000 in high-end items, including bling, bags, and timepieces. With the loot secured, they fled to Illinois, booked an Airbnb, and then made their way back to Florida to liquidate their ill-gotten gains.
Their second caper occurred on June 16, this time in unincorporated St. Louis County, where they struck again. The Frontenac Police Department was called out for the mess they left behind, valued at $128,000 and predominantly jewelry. The spree didn’t end there. They struck two Chesterfield homes the following day, netting an additional $188,500 from one and $44,000 from the other.
Both Ovalle-Taibo and Vejar-Caro are due for sentencing in October. Their illegal status in the U.S., however, guarantees they will be booted out of the country upon their release. The FBI, Ladue, Frontenac, and Chesterfield Police Departments worked tirelessly to unravel this organized crime operation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll leading the prosecution charge.
Stay tuned as these interlopers from Florida face the music for their audacious thefts.
RELATED: Fla. Man Gets 121-Month Sentence for Child Porn & Enticement
RELATED: Mudd Sentenced for Embezzlement
Related Federal Cases
- Florida Thieves Admit Stealing $500k from St. Louis Homes · Illinois
- 23andMe Faces Legal Fire for Genetic Data Sale · Washington
- 23andMe Faces Lawsuit for Selling Genetic Data · Washington
- Timothy Rosselli Charged with Impersonating Federal Agent · Illinois
- Union Man Pleads Guilty to Faking U.S. Marshal Status · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News