Former Miami Warmth worker Marcos Thomas Perez, accused of stealing tens of millions of {dollars}’ value of group memorabilia, pleaded responsible to his cost of transporting and transferring stolen items in interstate commerce, in response to The Related Press. He had initially pleaded not responsible. Perez, 62, bought greater than 100 stolen objects from the Warmth and pocketed about $1.9 million in his scheme, promoting game-worn jerseys and different memorabilia to on-line brokers, usually at cut price costs.
Perez shall be sentenced on Oct. 31. He faces a most penalty of 10 years in jail, three years probation and a fantastic of as much as $250,000.
Perez labored as a safety officer for the Warmth from 2016-21 and as a safety worker for the NBA from 2022-25. His entry as a sport day safety officer allowed him to enter a safe gear room in Kaseya Middle, from which he took objects the Warmth deliberate to show in a future group museum.
Ex-Miami Warmth worker charged for promoting tens of millions of {dollars}’ value of stolen memorabilia from group facility
Will Backus
Not solely did Perez promote over 100 objects, however he additionally stole over 400 game-worn jerseys. Included in that haul was a game-worn LeBron James jersey from the NBA Finals, which he bought for about $100,000. The jersey finally bought for greater than $3 million at an public sale.
Authorities seized roughly 300 objects from Perez’s residence after they executed a search warrant in April. The Warmth confirmed that they had been stolen from their facility
“He is depressed, naturally, however he accepts accountability for his conduct and we’re gonna work by means of this difficulty in his life,” protection legal professional Robert Buschel mentioned.
Perez is a 25-year retired veteran of the Miami Police Division, having served from Nov. 1992 to April 2016.
“I hope that the decide will take into account all elements in his life and his historical past as a superb particular person, he was an exemplary police officer within the Metropolis of Miami, he is been retired for near 10 years,” Buschel mentioned. “This was an unlucky set of selections that he made and he will settle for accountability for that.”
