BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A New York man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for fencing jewelry stolen from a national theft ring behind more than $4.4 million in losses to mall-based stores and kiosks in Connecticut and other states.
A federal judge in Bridgeport sentenced Salim Sakal, 55, of Brooklyn, N.Y., to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell and receive stolen goods.
According to court records, an organized theft ring comprised of Colombian nationals carried out a series of burglaries targeting jewelry retailers in malls across Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Virginia between May 2023 and April 2024. Investigators said the group also conducted surveillance on additional jewelry businesses in several other states as they planned future thefts.
Prosecutors said Sakal, co-owner of Ramoun Jewelry in Corona, N.Y., played a key role in helping the thieves profit from the stolen merchandise. Between August 2023 and April 2024, he purchased jewelry taken during at least seven burglaries, paying cash for the items at a fraction of their retail value.
Authorities said Sakal then resold the stolen jewelry to other buyers, including individuals he knew would melt down the gold, making recovery of the merchandise nearly impossible. Investigators noted that his business lacked the second-hand dealer license required under New York City regulations and failed to maintain records identifying sellers or documenting purchases.
To date, none of the stolen jewelry has been recovered.
As part of his sentence, Sakal was ordered to pay $2.47 million in restitution, jointly and severally with other defendants convicted in the case. He pleaded guilty in January and is scheduled to report to prison on Oct. 5. He had remained free on a $1 million bond pending sentencing.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s New Haven Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and involved numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies from across the country. The case highlights the growing reach of organized retail crime networks that target businesses in multiple states and rely on fences and illicit buyers to move stolen goods into legitimate markets.
Federal officials described the prosecution as part of a broader effort to disrupt transnational criminal organizations operating within the United States.
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