Two owners of a New York City pawnshop, which was recently raided by the FBI in relation to a burglary at the residence of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, were denied bail on Friday. U.S. District Court Judge William Kuntz made the decision to hold Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar until their trial in August, stating that it would be “ironic” to release them just days before the Super Bowl. Judge Kuntz emphasized that the defendants would have to watch the game from the sidelines and not participate.
FBI agents conducted a raid at the pawnshop located in Manhattan’s Diamond District earlier in the week. Prosecutors revealed that a significant amount of suspected stolen property was discovered at the pawnshop and in storage units in New Jersey associated with Nezhinskiy. The shop was allegedly operating as a fencing operation, facilitating the sale of stolen goods and incentivizing burglary crews to target affluent homes across the country.
Though Nezhinskiy and Villar have not been directly linked to the specific robberies, prosecutors mentioned that phone records connect Nezhinskiy to one of the individuals implicated in the break-in at Burrow’s residence. The burglary involved stolen jewelry, watches, designer items, and other valuables, with some individuals flaunting their loot on social media.
This burglary was part of a series of high-profile thefts targeting prominent athletes like NFL players Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and others from various sports leagues. The investigation into these crimes, involving several arrests and spanning multiple states, has uncovered connections to international robbery crews primarily comprised of foreign nationals from South America.
Nezhinskiy’s lawyer expressed intentions to appeal the decision to detain his client, emphasizing the family’s disappointment with the outcome. Similarly, Villar’s lawyer indicated the possibility of appealing the ruling, highlighting the surprise at the quick change in circumstances after his client had initially been released on bail.
The prosecution argued that the defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to charges related to stolen property, had extensive criminal histories, despite the defense lawyers disputing the characterization of the crimes as violent.
“The defendants posed a danger to the community and were considered flight risks. In legal filings, prosecutors stated that their behavior encouraged the victimization of people in their residences and put entire communities in jeopardy on a significant level. This pattern of behavior was not a one-time occurrence but rather has been happening consistently over the course of several years.”
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