Three men have been indicted on charges alleging they stole more than $300,000 worth of Apple products during the gunpoint robbery of a truck driver in Manchester in March.
Jose Miguel Mercado, 32, Jean Gonzalez Paulino, 31, and Daury Rodriguez Contreras, 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts each face charges of Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Federal officials said a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment against the men on Sept. 3.
According to authorities, Mercado, Gonzalez and Rodriguez committed a gunpoint robbery on March 25 around 7 a.m. as the driver of a delivery truck stopped at a commuter lot in Manchester. The truck was hauling a number of Apple products that were scheduled to be delivered to an Apple store in South Windsor.
The victim told authorities that he could feel the steel of the gun against his head while he was held in the truck, according to the affidavit in the case. The victim’s hands were zip tied to his ankles by the suspects, the affidavit says.
Federal officials said the trio allegedly stole about $316,753 in phones, tablets and other accessories and $1,000 from the driver. They then allegedly drove to Wethersfield where they got rid of their clothing, a license plate and other items which were thrown in a dumpster, officials said. This was seen on surveillance video, the affidavit says. The license plate was from New York State.
Authorities also did extensive work tracking cell phone usage by the suspects, which also shows the location of the user of the phone, according to the affidavit in the case.
According to authorities, Mercado, Gonzalez and Rodriguez then traveled to the Bronx, New York, where they allegedly “unloaded” the stolen items, many of which were later registered and activated by residents of New York.
Investigators believe the vehicle used in the robbery was rented by Gonzalez in Massachusetts through Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing platform. After the vehicle was returned a day after the robbery, the owners found a box containing an Apple charging cable that appeared to be new, officials said.
Mercado, Gonzalez and Rodriguez were arrested on federal criminal complaints on Aug. 21 and have been detained since.
Gonzalez and Rodriguez were arraigned on Sept. 11. They each pleaded not guilty, federal officials said. Mercado was expected to face a federal judge on Monday.
The charges in the indictment expose each man to anywhere between seven and 57 years in prison.
