A Naples mother-son duo pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a brazen armed robbery of $750,000 worth of gold jewelry from a business owner near Miami.
Julian Flores, 25, and his mother, Lourdes Diaz, 56, of Naples, pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with an armed jewelry heist.
The Department of Justice said on Sept. 16, 2023, the business owner began to load a suitcase of jewelry into a vehicle in a commercial parking lot in Hialeah.
The report said that's when Diaz backed up a white SUV rental from a nearby parking spot, and Flores got out of the back seat wearing black clothing and a ski mask.
Flores reportedly rushed at the victim while holding a revolver, grabbed the suitcase full of jewelry and attempted to rip it away from the victim. When the victim held onto the suitcase, Flores struck the victim's body multiple times with the gun.
Reports said the victim continued to hold onto the suitcase and yelled for help when Flores fired a shot into the ground. Flores was then able to free the suitcase, hop back in the SUV and drive away with his mother.
On Oct. 2, 2023, law enforcement found Flores and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, reports said he was wearing gold jewelry from the victim's collection.
After Flores was arrested, Diaz concealed a black safe containing the victim's jewelry inside the home of one of Flores' close associates.
On Oct. 3, 2023, law enforcement arrested Diaz near that residence. Law enforcement conducted a search warrant and recovered the black safe, which contained the remainder of the gold jewelry stolen from the victim.
On Nov. 22, 2024, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian accepted Diaz's guilty plea to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
On Tuesday, Flores entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and firing a gun during a crime of violence.
Both Flores and Diaz face a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. Damian will sentence each defendant after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled at this time.
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