Three illegal immigrants allegedly made off with over a million dollars worth of stolen Apple gadgets after a brazen, armed, broad day hijacking of a delivery truck outside a Nassau County mall in January.
Michael Mejia-Nunez, 29, Alan Christhofer Cedeno-Ferrer, 27, and Ennait Alexis Sirett-Padilla, 24, all allegedly took part in an 8 a.m. robbery outside of the upscale Americana Manhasset mall at the start of the year — taking two guards hostage.
They then allegedly forced one of their hostages to drive to a nearby location, zip-tying and locking them in the back of the truck in sub-freezing temperatures and unloading the more than $1.2 million worth of Apple products into a rented van before taking off to New Jersey, where they transferred the goods to another rental truck, prosecutors said.
One of the guards luckily broke free after the alleged thieves left and was able to call for help, but prosecutors said the situation could’ve easily turned fatal due to the freezing temperatures had they not broken free.
“As alleged, these defendants committed a violent and brazen daytime robbery that terrorized the victims and endangered the public at one of the most popular shopping centers on Long Island,” United States Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said.
“The defendants allegedly held two innocent employees at gunpoint before hijacking and robbing their delivery truck out of selfish greed,” he added.
Prosecutors detailed that they allegedly have a trove of evidence against them, including a web of surveillance footage, cell phone location data, fingerprints, the fake IDs used to rent the trucks, stolen Apple products, and even their own “unique” clothing police recovered that they said tracks them through nearly every step of the heist. --->READ MORE HERE
Three men are facing federal charges after prosecutors allege they hijacked an Apple delivery truck loaded with more than $1.2 million worth of electronics outside a luxury Long Island shopping center earlier this year.
Federal prosecutors in New York announced on May 7 that an indictment was unsealed charging Alan Christhofer Cedeno-Ferrer, 24; Michael Mejia-Nunez, 29; and Ennait Alexis Sirett-Padilla, 24, in connection with the January robbery.
The defendants are charged with robbery, robbery conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the attorney's office. If convicted, the men face up to 30 years in prison.
Evan Sugar, an attorney representing Sirett-Padilla, said: “My client has been charged, not convicted, and I intend to ensure that the presumption of innocence and all of his rights are fully honored as this case proceeds.”
USA TODAY contacted the defense attorney for Mejia-Nunez and the U.S. attorney’s office, which said it did not have the name for Cedeno-Ferrer's attorney when asked May 8.
Here's what to know about the case.
Armed robbery occurred outside Apple Store, prosecutors say
According to court filings, the robbery reportedly unfolded around 8 a.m. ET on Jan. 3 outside the Americana Manhasset shopping center as workers prepared to deliver Apple products to the mall's Apple Store.
Prosecutors allege three armed men approached the delivery workers at gunpoint. One worker was forced into the back of the truck and zip-tied, while the second was ordered into the driver's seat and directed to drive to a secluded parking area nearby.
Once there, prosecutors said the second victim was also forced into the back of the truck and restrained.
Authorities allege the suspects then used a rented Home Depot box truck to transfer the cargo from the delivery vehicle. The stolen shipment included MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and accessories worth more than $1.2 million.
After the transfer was complete, the suspects allegedly shut the victims inside the truck and fled. One of the workers later managed to free himself and call 911, according to the U.S. attorney's office. --->READ MORE HERE
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