‘$100 million heist’: Man accused in the biggest jewel heist in U.S. history is detained by ICE. Then he chooses deportation

One of the stranger legal stories from this past year has been making the rounds on TikTok, thanks to a TikToker known as Give (ifishdjdj). The post has already racked up over 922,000 views. The clip itself is simple. The background is that of a table. There is the sound of someone helplessly laughing, and the story is told through the on-screen text. 

The information in the post is: “ICE accidentally deported a man who was a prime suspect in the largest jewel heist in U.S. history. He was up for trial but volunteers to be deported after being detained by ICE, avoiding criminal charges for an $100 million heist.”

TikTok found it hilarious, with many of the viewers taking it as an opportunity to criticize the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department. For instance, one user wrote, “Tell me ice is useless without telling me ice is useless.” Others couldn’t believe this was real. One person noted, “Yea, that’s not a thing. $100 MILLION? Nah…. You gonna sit in jail for a bit and THEN get lifetime deportation. That’s not how that works.” 

A true story

As one TikToker actually learned, “I had to look this up. Oh my God it’s true and this happened in December 2025. Lol.” Per CBS, the reality is just as strange as the TikTok suggests. The federal government’s case against Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, one of the primary suspects in what has been described as the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history, essentially evaporated after immigration agents deported him. 

The original crime reportedly took place in July 2022, when a gang of thieves intercepted a Brinks tractor-trailer returning from a San Francisco jewelry show at the Flying J Travel Center in Lebec, California. They made off with 24 bags filled with gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches, totaling an estimated $100 million.

CBS reported that Presilla and six other men were charged by the U.S. Department of Justice last year. He pleaded not guilty at his initial court appearance in June 2025 and faced up to 15 years in federal prison. He was granted release on bond in August. However, he was later transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a detainer. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in court filings, “Unbeknownst to the prosecutors, defendant was taken into immigration custody.” According to CBS, they only learned of it on September 2, 2025. ICE records actually indicated Presilla was a legal permanent resident as of March 4, 2025.

Per the filings, “There, he faced two options: (1) assert his lawful permanent residence status, fight his criminal case, and face a potentially lengthy criminal sentence only to possibly be deported after his release; or (2) waive his immigration rights, functionally self-deport, and avoid criminal exposure all together. He chose the latter.” During an immigration hearing on December 16, he admitted to the allegations and asked to be deported to Chile.

Per the outlet, Presilla was ultimately sent to Ecuador, and his attorney notified the U.S. Attorney on January 8. Jena A. MacCabe, an Assistant United States Attorney, responded with “genuine surprise about the deportation” because of his legal status. A judge granted a motion by Presilla’s lawyer to dismiss the case with prejudice on January 9, meaning the charges cannot be refiled.

Some TikTokers were even impressed by the outcome. One remarked, “Well, you have to give the guy his due… that’s pretty smart.” Another wrote, “Chess not checkers I’m not mad at it.” Funnily enough, social media came into play for a French heist too, but to prove that a person of interest was innocent.

The stated mission of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, or ERO. According to the official ICE website, the mission is to “identify, investigate, arrest, prosecute and remove aliens unlawfully present in the United States.” ERO also works to “identify aliens who may present a threat to national security or public safety, or otherwise undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.”

In the end, Presilla’s arrest met ERO’s goal but was a failure for the justice system. On TikTok, one user summed up the anti-ICE sentiment in the comments best by saying, “wow this is the first time I think I’m rooting for the criminal.”