Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 30 March 2017

Jewelry heist suspect says he came to Las Vegas from Mexico

outside court. “And there was ordered to rent rooms
are still three suspects out- at two low-cost motels, and
standing.” he met three other men.
In court, Gonzalez stood He told police he was giv-
in shackles with a Spanish- en a pig mask and out-
language interpreter and fitted with an earpiece
acknowledged that he and cellphone and told
understood the charges to stand lookout while the
against him. other men broke into the
Las Vegas Justice of the store. They were instructed
Peace Eric Goodman said to take high-value watches
he won’t set bail until he “which he said would later
knows Gonzalez’s citizen- be sold in Mexico for up to
ship. “I have zero informa- $2 million,” the police re-
tion on him,” the judge told port said.
Gonzalez’s court-appoint- Police didn’t say what was
ed attorney, Kelli DeVaney- taken in the heist.
Sauter. “I don’t even know Initial reports of gunfire in
if he’s a citizen.” the casino appeared to
Gonzalez was arrested af- stem from people misinter-
ter a wild chase in the Bel- preting the sharp sound of
lagio parking garage fol- sledgehammers shattering
Sebastian Gonzalez, right, appears in court, Wednesday, March 29, 2017, in Las Vegas. Gonzalez lowing the 1 a.m. Saturday glass jewelry cases, police
is accused of a smash-and-grab burglary at a luxury watch and jewelry store last weekend at a break-in, according to a said later.
Las Vegas Strip resort. police report. Gonzalez’s The getaway was nearly
(AP Photo/John Locher) birthplace was listed as thwarted by a bystander
KEN RITTER he took part in a weekend sledgehammer looting of Los Angeles. In a recorded who later handed the keys
Associated Press smash-and-grab burglary the closed Tesorini store interview, Gonzalez told to the ignition of a white
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Au- at a casino jewelry store, that prompted calls about detectives he traveled by Nissan Maxima to police
thorities are checking a a prosecutor said Wednes- gunfire early Saturday truck from Mexico City to and said he took them af-
20-year-old man’s claim day. morning at the Bellagio re- Arizona after people in ter noticing the car parked
that he was brought from Sebastian Gonzalez told sort. Mexico threatened to hurt “in a suspicious manner”
Mexico City to Las Vegas police he was given fake “There’s a lot of follow-up his family if he didn’t follow and four men running into
under threat that his fam- identification, a toy gun that has to be done,” pros- their instructions. the casino wearing masks.
ily would be harmed unless and a pig mask for the ecutor John Giordani said In Las Vegas, he said, he q
Prosecutors: Foster father’s home a ‘horrific place’

FRANK ELTMAN in fear. troubled boys. Some had In addition to the alleged Mugaburu earned more
Associated Press The foster system was like a psychiatric conditions like abuse of the boys, pros- than $1.5 million over two
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — candy store filled with boys schizophrenia, ADHD, bipo- ecutors also said the man decades as a foster par-
A foster father who took for him, Moroff said. She lar disorder and other con- sexually abused a dog in ent, caring for particu-
in more than 100 troubled said Gonzales-Mugaburo ditions, Mates said. front of a child. larly troubled boys, which
boys over 20 years and is would threaten to shoot “When you hear an allega- Gonzales-Mugaburu has entitled him to a higher
on trial for sexually abusing the boys or run them over tion of eight children over pleaded not guilty to child income than a tradition-
eight of the children oper- with a car if they didn’t 20 years and there has endangerment, sexual mis- al foster parent. He cared
ated a house that was a obey him “It was a horrific been more than 100 chil- conduct and other charg- for as many as six to eight
“horrific place” where boys place to live, eating on the dren in his home eight is re- es, and remains jailed on $1 children at a time since at
lived in fear and needed floor, and not allowed to ally not a lot,” Mates said million bond. His lawyer dis- least 1996.
permission to go to the do anything without asking outside the courtroom. putes that any abuse took An 83-page report released
bathroom, prosecutors said permission first including go- Gonzales-Mugaburu, 60, place at his client’s home. by Suffolk County District
Wednesday. ing to the bathroom,” Mo- was arrested in January The case against Ce- Attorney Thomas Spota last
In opening arguments, Suf- roff said outside the court. 2016, after authorities said sar Gonzales-Mugaburu month outlined a remark-
folk County prosecutor Lau- “The lived in fear, they were two boys in his care re- sparked an investigation able series of failures that
rie Moroff described Cesar afraid.” ported alleged abuse to into New York’s foster care allowed Gonzales-Muga-
Gonzales-Mugaburu’s sub- Defense attorney Donald a caseworker. Prosecutors system that found “abys- buru to take in more than
urban Long Island home Mates said there was no said that prompted a wider mal” communication 100 children over 20 years,
in Ridge, New York, as a truth to the charges, call- investigation, which led to among the child welfare despite being the subject
beautiful house with a pool, ing it a “witch hunt.” He additional charges involv- agencies involved. of 18 separate child abuse
but inside the children lived said the accusers were all ing other alleged victims. Prosecutors said Gonzales- investigations. q