A Denver man tied to the violent June 24, 2024, armed robbery at Joyeria El Ruby has been handed a 240-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty. The brutal attack left several employees injured and stripped the family-run shop of millions of dollars in jewelry, sparking a sprawling multi-agency investigation that crossed state lines. The case resurfaced in the headlines this week after the FBI’s Denver office highlighted the sentence in a post on February 13.
Sentence And Plea
Federal prosecutors say Newman Castillo-Delgado admitted his role in the robbery and received a 240-month sentence after pleading guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. At sentencing, the office says, prosecutors laid out a chilling account of employees beaten during the attack and a massive haul of stolen jewelry and gold.
How Prosecutors Say The Heist Unfolded
Authorities say the crew forced its way into the northwest Denver jewelry store, assaulted employees with weapons, and cleared out cases of merchandise during the June robbery. Investigators estimate the take reached into the millions, as first reported by CBS Colorado. Three other men were later indicted, and federal prosecutors say multiple suspects moved through other states in the aftermath of the theft.
Investigation Stretched Across State Lines
Court records and local reporting indicate that the case quickly expanded beyond Denver. Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Denver Police Department all joined the hunt, which led agents to the El Paso, Texas, area, where several suspects were tracked down, according to The Denver Gazette. That reporting also shares harrowing accounts from victims and a store owner who says the robbery left lasting emotional scars.
Alleged Gang Ties And A Broader Federal Sweep
Prosecutors have linked the Joyeria El Ruby robbery to a wider pattern of crimes they attribute to the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua. Federal authorities later brought RICO and related charges against higher-level suspects in Colorado, as detailed by Denver7. Federal filings and public statements describe an alleged network coordinating a range of criminal activity in the region.
Legal Stakes And Charges
The Joyeria El Ruby case came with serious federal firepower. The charges included Hobbs Act robbery and firearm enhancements that carry lengthy mandatory minimums, and prosecutors described both the brandishing of a gun and the physical assaults on workers in court filings. For more details on the original slate of charges, see the earlier press notice from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 2024.
Where The Case Stands Now
The Feb. 13 post from FBI Denver reiterated Castillo-Delgado’s sentence and framed the prosecution as part of a larger push to disrupt what investigators describe as a transnational criminal network behind the brazen heist. Prosecutors say related cases are still moving through the system, and federal and international partners continue to pursue alleged co-conspirators tied to the robbery and the broader network.
