Allan Lucas, Diana Grisales Basto, Carlos Morales Charged with Robberies Targeting Jewelry Salespeople, Florida 2022

MIAMI, FLORIDA – In a shocking turn of events, three individuals have been charged with robberies targeting jewelry salespeople in South Florida. According to a federal indictment, Allan Lucas, 30, of Miami, Diana Grisales Basto, 37, a Colombian national, and Carlos Morales, 44, of Miami, allegedly conspired to commit Hobbs Act robbery and committed multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery between September 2019 and December 2020.

The indictment, which was unsealed on July 1, charges the trio with conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery and multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery. Specifically, Lucas is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and five counts of Hobbs Act robbery. Grisales Basto is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of Hobbs Act robbery. Morales is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and one count of Hobbs Act robbery.

The charged robberies occurred in Boca Raton, Miami Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, and Fort Pierce. The indictment alleges that the victims were engaged in the business of buying and selling jewelry at the time of the robberies. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Lucas and Grisales Basto were already in state custody and are scheduled to make their initial appearance on Friday, July 8. Morales was arrested on July 2. The FBI’s Tampa Division is leading the investigation with valuable assistance from the FBI’s Miami Field Office, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, Palm Beach Sherriff’s Office, Boynton Beach Police Department, Fort Pierce Police Department, and the Jewelry Security Alliance.

Trial Attorneys Lakeita F. Rox-Love and Christina Taylor of the Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Lopez of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The investigation into this case is ongoing, and further details are expected to be released in the coming weeks. The charges against Lucas, Grisales Basto, and Morales are a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and cooperation in preventing and investigating crimes.

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