Three men from Lawrence, Massachusetts, have been charged with federal crimes related to the armed robbery of a delivery truck carrying Apple products in Manchester, Connecticut. The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s New Haven Division.
According to court documents and statements presented in court, Jose Miguel Mercado, 32; Jean Gonzalez Paulino, 31; and Daury Rodriguez Contreras, 22—all citizens of the Dominican Republic—allegedly robbed a delivery truck driver at gunpoint around 7:00 a.m. on March 25, 2025. The incident occurred after the driver stopped at a commuter lot in Manchester before delivering Apple products to a store in South Windsor.
Authorities allege that the three suspects stole about $316,753 worth of Apple phones, tablets, and accessories from the truck as well as approximately $1,000 in cash from the driver. Afterward, they reportedly traveled to Wethersfield where they disposed of clothing, a license plate, and other items in a dumpster before heading to the Bronx in New York City to unload some of the stolen goods. Many of these items were later registered and activated by residents in New York.
Investigators also stated that one vehicle used during the robbery had been rented by Gonzalez through Turo in Massachusetts. When this vehicle was returned on March 26 and cleaned by its owners, they discovered a box containing what appeared to be a new Apple charging cable.
Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez were arrested on August 21 following federal criminal complaints.
A federal grand jury indicted all three men on September 3 on charges including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery (maximum penalty: 20 years), Hobbs Act Robbery (maximum penalty: 20 years), carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (mandatory consecutive sentence of at least seven years), and interstate transportation of stolen property (maximum penalty: 10 years).
The defendants are lawful permanent residents who have remained detained since their arrests. Mercado is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon at Hartford federal court; Gonzalez and Rodriguez pleaded not guilty at their arraignments on September 11.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan emphasized: “An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The investigation continues under the leadership of the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Connecticut State Police with support from local police departments across Connecticut, New York City law enforcement agencies, Massachusetts State Police, and Westchester County’s Real Time Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative designed to combat illegal immigration as well as violent crime associated with cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts such as OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
