Kumari Shreya
Fox’s ‘America’s Most Wanted’ is a show that covers cases involving suspects who have evaded custody for a long time. In season 27, episode 3, the viewers learn more about a multi-million dollar gold robbery that took place in the state of North Carolina. Among those linked to the crime, a man known as Pedro Santamaria had yet to be arrested by the time the show aired on national television. Given the nature of his crimes and just how mysterious Santamaria’s identity seems to be, it is hardly a wonder that the world wants to know the latest details regarding his whereabouts.
Pedro Santamaria is a Suspect in the North Carolina Highway Gold Heist
On the evening of March 1, 2015, a truck belonging to TransValue was traveling on Interstate 95. Having started in Miami, Florida, the vehicle was transporting gold bars worth $4.8 million to Boston, Massachusetts. However, on the evening of the previously mentioned date, when the truck was in North Carolina, drivers who were responsible for the transportation and security of the gold were hit by a particular kind of gas that was released directly into the cabin that they were in.
The two security drivers had to stop the vehicle and were approached by three men in a white van claiming to be with law enforcement. However, that turned out to be a false statement as the newcomers tied the drivers up and took them to the nearby woods. Following this, the three men stole the gold bars within the truck, which weighed about 275 pounds in total. Following this, the three men fled using their van, and the tied-up drivers tried to call out to other travelers on the road to contact the authorities.
For the longest time, it seemed like the case may never be solved. Given the circumstances, it was also suspected that this might be an inside job, but the drivers maintained their innocence. However, some months later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received a tip that proved to be a monumental lead. The person giving the tip claimed that they were romantically involved with a man named Adalberto Perez, who had been bragging about robbing a truck in North Carolina. Apparently, Perez had even shown her one of the stolen gold bars that was a part of his share.
Following up on the tip, the authorities were able to arrest Perez in March 2016 from his home in Opa-Locka, Florida. While one of the three robbers was caught, the identity of the two others remained dependent on how much Perez was willing to share. As such, it was not long before another person named Roberto Cabrera was arrested in regard to the case. Notably, a third arrest was made in April 2015 when Miguel Bover tried to sell one of the stolen bars in a pawnshop in Miami. However, Bover was not actually involved in the actual robbery.
Both Perez and Cabrera stated that the third person involved in the highway robbery had been Pedro Santamaria. Or at least, that is the name they knew him by. For the authorities involved, Santamaria seemed like a man with no background information that could be used to find out where he was. The man in question had been using a variety of names and birthdays with different people, which made him a virtual ghost that the authorities were trying their best to find but found it impossible.
However, given the overwhelming evidence and testimonies against him, Pedro Santamaria was indicted in February 2019, almost four years after the actual robbery had taken place. According to an FBI affidavit, Santamaria had allegedly contacted Bover to sell the gold, as the two had been in prison at the same time. The charges levied against Santamaria included robbery and gun charges. However, his arrest and conviction remained a huge obstacle, even as the case against Perez and Canrera continued on.
Pedro Santamaria Remains At-Large
As of writing, Pedro Santamaria continues to evade arrest and identification. While a federal arrest warrant against him was issued as early as May 18, 2016, Santamaria has yet to be caught. The man in question was born in Cuba and has nine different birthdates that he has used, according to the information shared by the FBI. As of writing, the federal investigation agency continues to offer a sum worth $10,000 to anyone who has information that might prove useful in tracking down Santamaria.
Apart from his photograph, the FBI has made it public knowledge that Santamaria has a scar on his left forearm. He seemingly had contacts in California, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, which might explain just how he has been able to evade justice for so long. A warning has also been issued to the public explaining that Santamaria should be “considered armed and dangerous.” The FBI did confirm in the Fox show that Santamaria had been spotted in Mexico in 2019 but had disappeared by the time he could be caught. The investigators believe that he may still be living in the area around the Mexico-Texas border.
Meanwhile, the two other men involved in the robbery, Adalberto Perez and Roberto Cabrera, did have to answer for their crimes in a court of law. Cabrera ended up pleading guilty in April 2016, which was followed by Perez doing the same in June 2016. As such, the former was sentenced to 11 years in prison, while the latter’s punishment was a 19.5-year prison term. As of writing, Perez is serving his sentence at the Residential Reentry Management facility in Miami, Florida, with a possible release date of October 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, Cabrera is now at FCI Coleman Medium in Sumter County, Florida. His possible release date on record is April 26, 2026. As for Miguel Bover, though the man was not involved in the actual robbery, he was still arrested in April 2015. He was then sentenced in September 2015 to three and a half years in prison for trying to sell stolen goods in the black market. He has also pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, as his cellphone was used to make threats in order to sell the stolen gold. Bover claimed that he did not know who had made the call but did not want to attract any negative attention.
Read More: Nedra and Jim Lemke Murders: Where is Kevin Anderson Now?
