Avelino González-Claudio (October 8, 1942 – July 9, 2019) was a Puerto Rican independence activist who served time in a U.S. federal prison for his participation in an armored truck robbery planned by Los Macheteros.[1] Although the robbery took place in 1983, González-Claudio was not apprehended until 25 years later, in 2008. After pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, González-Claudio was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2010. He was released three years later, in 2013.

The robbery

On September 12, 1983, a Wells Fargo armored truck in Hartford, Connecticut, was robbed of more than $7 million.[2] The robbery, code-named "White Eagle", was "the largest cash heist in U.S. history" at the time of its commission.[3][4]

Arrests

In 1985, González-Claudio was accused in absentia of having planned the robbery as a member of Los Macheteros.[5] González-Claudio was apprehended in 2008, after more than 20 years as a fugitive and during which time he had adopted an alias that allowed him to work as a teacher in Puerto Rico.[4] He pleaded guilty to conspiracy for robbery and, in 2010, was sentenced to seven years in prison.[6][7] Prosecutors argued for the necessity of a substantial sentence in spite of González-Claudio's age and Parkinson's disease, fearing that he could still be influential in the Los Macheteros organization, as authorities had found in February 2008 "documents in Gonzalez-Claudio's home that they say showed he was still involved with the group."[8] Gonzalez-Claudio was released from prison on 5 February 2013.[9] During his time as a fugitive he communicated with his wife via correspondence.[10]

In May 2011, his brother Norberto González-Claudio was arrested for his participation in the robbery.[11] Norberto was released on January 15, 2015.[12]

Death

Avelino Gonzalez-Claudio died on July 9, 2019.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ La Prensa San Diego. By Marjorie Cohn. The Incarceration of Carlos Alberto Torres: After 30 Years in Prison, the Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Will Be Freed.. Vol. XXXIII. July 30, 2010.
  2. ↑ "No divulgan evidencia incautada en caso de machetero". 11 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Filiberto Ojeda Ríos (obituary), The Economist, September 29, 2005. Accessed April 5, 2006. (The Economist Printed edition: October 1, 2005; Vol. 377; Issue 8446; Page 82.)
  4. 1 2 The Hartford (Connecticut, USA) Courant. February 8, 2008. "Wells Fargo Fugitive Captured: Suspect Allegedly Transported Cash From $7 Million Robbery To Mexico" By Edmund H. Mahony, Courant Staff Writer Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  5. ↑ "FBI Fugitive - Avelino Gonzalez-Claudio". www.fbi.gov. Archived from the original on 15 September 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. ↑ FoxNews. Puerto Rican nationalist sentenced to 7 years for 1983 Wells Fargo robbery in Conn. May 26, 2010.
  7. ↑ Puerto Rico Daily Sun. Political prisoner to be released. July 17, 2010.
  8. ↑ Machetero The Hartford (Connecticut, USA), Courant. May 26, 2010. "Machetero Gets 7 Years For 1983 Wells Fargo Robbery" by Alaine Griffin, Courant Staff Writer, Accessed September 9, 2010.
  9. ↑ U.S. Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ Díaz Alcaida, Maritza (March 24, 2015). "Tus noticias Escondido a plena vista". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved September 8, 2023 – via PressReader.com.
  11. ↑ Marrero, Rosita (11 May 2011). "No divulgan evidencia incautada en caso de machetero" (in Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Inmate Locator". BOP. February 28, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Muere el ex prisionero político Avelino González Claudio". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). July 9, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
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