Boca Raton, Fort Pierce police help feds take down transnational jewelry robbery crew

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS12) — A years-long investigation involving multiple South Florida law enforcement agencies — including Boca Raton and Fort Pierce police — has led to the final sentencing of a member of a transnational robbery crew responsible for millions in losses.

Federal officials announced Friday that Leroy Ortega, a 43-year-old Miami man also known as “el Enano,” was sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a string of violent robberies targeting jewelry couriers.

Authorities say Ortega was part of a Colombian-based theft group that operated across South Florida, following jewelry salespeople from major hubs like the Seybold Jewelry Building and International Jewelry Exchange before robbing them — sometimes using weapons to force compliance.

The case was part of “Operation Boujee Bandits,” a sweeping investigation led by the FBI with assistance from numerous local agencies, including the Boca Raton Police Department and Fort Pierce Police Department.

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While many of the robberies occurred in Miami-Dade County, investigators say the group’s reach extended throughout the region, prompting coordination with departments across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.

Officials credited Boca Raton and Fort Pierce police with assisting in the multi-agency effort to track the group’s movements, share intelligence, and support the broader investigation that ultimately led to charges against 11 defendants.

“This case highlights the importance of regional collaboration when dealing with organized, transnational crime,” federal officials said in announcing the sentencing.

According to court records, Ortega admitted to taking part in multiple robberies, including a 2019 incident where a victim was injured after being dragged by a getaway car, and another in which a jewelry salesman was robbed of about $125,000 in merchandise.

Ortega is the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced in the case. Collectively, the group was responsible for more than $5 million in losses.

The investigation was led by the FBI Tampa Field Office, with assistance from agencies across South Florida, including Boca Raton and Fort Pierce police, as well as departments in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.