A Colombian national has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for her role in a coordinated jewelry theft ring that targeted stores and kiosks across the United States. Yesenia Melendez Rincon, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, Melendez Rincon and other Colombian nationals carried out burglaries at jewelry establishments located in several states between May 2023 and April 2024. The group struck locations including the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut; Lombard, Illinois; Hamilton Township, New Jersey; and Henrico, Virginia. The losses from these incidents exceeded $1.33 million.
Authorities said Melendez Rincon’s involvement included scouting businesses prior to the burglaries, acting as a lookout during the crimes, and participating in selling stolen jewelry.
Investigators found a photograph from January 2024 on Melendez Rincon’s iCloud account showing her wearing a heart-shaped ring that had been stolen during the Milford burglary.
Further investigation determined that co-conspirators were responsible for stealing an additional $3.1 million worth of jewelry from other establishments across Paterson, New Jersey; Mentor, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Greece, New York; and Horseheads, New York between May 2023 and April 2024. Members of the group also surveilled more jewelry stores in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware. None of the stolen items have been recovered so far.
Melendez Rincon was arrested on July 18, 2024. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy on July 1, 2025. After sentencing she was remanded into custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will face immigration proceedings following her prison term.
The case was investigated by FBI New Haven’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force with support from multiple local police departments across affected states as well as several FBI field offices nationwide.
David X. Sullivan stated: "U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida,and the FBI Field Offices in New York, Dallas, Miami, and Tampa for their assistance."
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon.
