Man sentenced to prison for targeting Boulder jewelry store in retail crime ring

A man has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in an armed robbery at The Little Jewel on Pearl Street.

Franderson Gutierrez-Gutierrez, 22, accepted a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to theft between $100,000 and $1 million and robbery. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on both counts with 415 days of credit for time served. The sentences will run concurrently.

On Feb. 6, 2024, police were called to The Little Jewel, 1225 Pearl St., on a robbery. Police said a 78-year-old woman was working alone when a man entered the store and asked to see gold jewelry before three other men entered the store. One grabbed the woman forcefully and indicated he had a gun, while others loaded a black bag with jewelry from multiple display cases, according to the affidavit.

The store owner estimated $230,000 worth of jewelry was stolen.

Boulder police later learned the robbery matched a pattern of crimes by an “organized retail crime group” being investigated by the Denver Police Department. Gutierrez-Gutierrez is accused of being involved in thefts at a Denver JCPenney, Zales Jewelry and Marley Liquor Store.

Gutierrez-Gutierrez also was convicted of robbery, theft, and organized crime out of Douglas County and is charged in Denver with robbery and theft between $100,000 and $1 million.

According to the affidavit, the group is responsible for 20 “grab-and-run” thefts from various retail stores starting Nov. 1 between Castle Rock and Fort Collins. The group is suspected of stealing “high-dollar name-brand” jewelry and accessories with a value of over $250,000.