Two defendants sentenced to federal prison for role in theft of more than 1.3 million dollars in jewelry from Tampa vendor
Tampa, Florida – Two individuals involved in a jewelry robbery that netted approximately $1.3 million in merchandise have been sentenced to federal prison following a lengthy investigation that linked them to the crime through surveillance footage, cellphone data, fingerprints, and other evidence.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Gina Parra-Martinez, 39, and Diego Ramirez-Aldana, 29, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for their roles in the robbery.
Parra-Martinez received a prison sentence of seven years and three months, while Ramirez-Aldana was sentenced to five years and one month behind bars. Both defendants had previously entered guilty pleas.
The case centered on a violent robbery that occurred in Tampa during March 2024.
Jewelry vendor targeted after exhibition
According to court records and testimony presented during sentencing, a jewelry vendor had traveled to Tampa to participate in an exhibition held at a hotel near the University of South Florida campus.
On the evening of the event, the vendor and her sister left the exhibition and took a rideshare vehicle back to their hotel.
Surveillance footage later showed that almost immediately after the women arrived, a vehicle pulled up nearby and five masked individuals rushed toward them.
Authorities said the suspects pushed the victims and stole their bags before fleeing the scene.
The stolen property included jewelry valued at approximately $1.3 million. Investigators also determined that the robbers took an additional $9,000 in cash during the attack.
The robbery launched an extensive investigation involving federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Evidence connected defendants to crime
Investigators eventually connected four vehicles and numerous cellphones to the robbery and surrounding areas.
Authorities determined that Ramirez-Aldana’s cellphone was located near the jewelry exhibition just hours before the robbery occurred.
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Evidence recovered from one of the vehicles used during the crime further strengthened the case. Law enforcement officers discovered loose gemstones on the vehicle’s floorboard, and the victim later identified the gems as belonging to her collection.
Forensic analysis also revealed that a latent fingerprint found on a false vehicle registration belonged to Ramirez-Aldana.
Investigators uncovered additional evidence linking Parra-Martinez to the robbery.
Cellphone records placed her near the jewelry exhibition the day before the crime. Surveillance footage from the exhibition also showed a woman matching her appearance walking through the event while wearing a baseball cap.
Authorities later recovered a fingerprint belonging to Parra-Martinez from a bag containing bleach, wigs, and a ski mask. The bag was found inside another vehicle connected to the robbery.
Arrest followed months of evasion
After the robbery, Parra-Martinez returned to New York.
Federal agents eventually obtained a search warrant for an address where she was staying in April 2024. However, investigators said she left the residence and boarded a flight to California just hours before authorities arrived to execute the warrant.
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According to court records, she changed clothes while in flight, abandoned her luggage at a California airport baggage claim area, and successfully avoided capture for several months.
Her efforts to evade authorities ultimately failed, and she was eventually arrested.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Newman prosecuted the case.
The prison sentences bring a major chapter of the investigation to a close, holding two participants accountable for a robbery that resulted in the theft of more than $1.3 million in jewelry and cash from a visiting vendor.
