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Venezuelan Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Denver Jewelry Store Robbery Case

A Venezuelan national was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for a June 2024 armed robbery directed by Tren de Aragua leadership, according to official records released on August 17, 2026.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 18, 2026, 12:41 p.m. ET
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On August 17, 2026, official records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced that 22-year-old Jesus Lara del Toro of Venezuela was to 216 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution. Lara del Toro pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The case remains developing and open as further proceedings continue. According to official records, Lara del Toro and others entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38th 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, multiple victims were injured, and nearly $4 million worth of gold and jewelry was stolen. Official records state that Lara del Toro and his co-defendants committed the crime acting under directives from international Tren de Aragua leadership. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas area. United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing. Two other defendants, Jean Torres-Roman and Newman Castillo Delgado, were previously , and a fourth defendant is scheduled to be later this year. Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak handled the prosecution. United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly stated, "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."

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  1. Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:41current

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