Four Men Indicted in Federal Court Over Fremont Jewelry Store Heist
Four men previously charged with felony robbery in Alameda County have now been indicted by a federal grand jury, facing stiffer penalties if convicted. The defendants, Afatupetaiki Faasisila, 20, of San Bruno, Jose Herrada-Aragon, 20, and Andres Palestino, 19, both from Concord, and Tom Parker Donegan, 19, of Fairfield, could potentially face up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty.
The brazen robbery took place on June 18 at a jewelry store in Fremont, where the suspects used a stolen vehicle to ram through the storefront. The group of more than two dozen individuals, reportedly from throughout the Bay Area, smashed display cases and made off with an estimated $1.7 million worth of merchandise.
Police initially charged the four men with second-degree robbery, receiving stolen property, and resisting police after their arrest. However, federal authorities later filed a criminal complaint against them and secured a grand jury indictment charging each defendant with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce.
The charges expose the defendants to harsher penalties, potentially including longer prison sentences and fines. The FBI was also involved in the investigation, which has shed light on a large-scale jewelry heist operation.
As previously reported, the suspects were initially released from custody due to their not guilty pleas, but they are now facing federal charges that carry significant penalties if convicted.
Four men previously charged with felony robbery in Alameda County have now been indicted by a federal grand jury, facing stiffer penalties if convicted. The defendants, Afatupetaiki Faasisila, 20, of San Bruno, Jose Herrada-Aragon, 20, and Andres Palestino, 19, both from Concord, and Tom Parker Donegan, 19, of Fairfield, could potentially face up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty.
The brazen robbery took place on June 18 at a jewelry store in Fremont, where the suspects used a stolen vehicle to ram through the storefront. The group of more than two dozen individuals, reportedly from throughout the Bay Area, smashed display cases and made off with an estimated $1.7 million worth of merchandise.
Police initially charged the four men with second-degree robbery, receiving stolen property, and resisting police after their arrest. However, federal authorities later filed a criminal complaint against them and secured a grand jury indictment charging each defendant with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce.
The charges expose the defendants to harsher penalties, potentially including longer prison sentences and fines. The FBI was also involved in the investigation, which has shed light on a large-scale jewelry heist operation.
As previously reported, the suspects were initially released from custody due to their not guilty pleas, but they are now facing federal charges that carry significant penalties if convicted.
meanwhile the FBI is over there like "nah bruh we got this" and now they're facing some serious prison time 
gotta wonder how many other jewelry stores got hit in the Bay Area 
, and then have the nerve to try and get out of it by claiming they're not guilty? 
And now we're hearing that some of these guys could be looking at up to 25 years in prison if they get convicted... that's just crazy 
. What's wrong with people these days?
. seriously though, it's crazy how brazen they were - literally ramming their way into a store! And now they're facing the music... if you know what i mean 
. guess you could say they took the phrase "robbed blind" to a whole new level 
this is crazy af! I'm low-key shocked these 4 guys were released on bail and now they're facing up to 25 yrs in prison 
I mean, I'm all for justice, but this feels like a whole lotta overkill 
what really got me is that there's more to this story than meets the eye... all these other people were involved in the heist too 
and I wonder how deep this thing goes 
They totally got what's coming to them after smashing up that store and making off with all that cash 
. And can you believe they had a crew of more than 20 people from the Bay Area helping them out? Total chaos 
. And now the four men are facing way harsher penalties if convicted... they should've stuck to their not guilty pleas 
Like, what's next? Breaking into homes with a team of friends and expecting everyone to be like "oh cool, just another Tuesday"? 
And $1.7 million worth of merchandise? That's wild. I guess that's the life they chose for themselves... 
And $1.7 million is like a lot of cash! I wonder if any of it will be recovered. 
But at the same time, $1.7 million worth of jewelry just gets stolen and people lose their jobs... it's kinda hard to feel bad for them. The fact that they were using a stolen car to ram through the store is super reckless, though. I mean, who does that? 
and it's not like they just took some random stuff, they smashed display cases and had more than 20 accomplices 
guess those guys won't be enjoying their freedom anytime soon 