Two Southern California men were arrested and charged in federal court in connection with what authorities on Tuesday called the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history.

The theft of about $100 million in gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches from a Brinks semitruck took place in July 2022, the Department of Justice said in a statement.

The federal indictment alleges Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena, and Jazael Padilla Resto, 36, of Boyle Heights — currently serving time in an Arizona prison — were part of a crew that followed the Brinks truck from an international jewelry show in San Mateo to a rest stop in Lebec, north of Los Angeles, where they stole 24 bags of valuables.

Padilla and five others — Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, 41, Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, and Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36 — are also charged in the indictment returned June 11. All seven face federal charges including conspiracy and theft from interstate and foreign shipments.

Some of the stolen jewelry was recovered during search warrants executed Monday, prosecutors said.

Authorities say the same crew also carried out multiple cargo thefts in early 2022, including stealing Samsung electronics and Apple AirTags worth more than $300,000 combined, and attempting another heist using a crowbar in Fontana.

If convicted, several defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison for each robbery count, and all face up to 10 years for each theft charge.

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