Image Credit: Knox County Sheriff’s Department
The Tennessee Conservative Staff-
Knox County police arrested an illegal alien last week on felony theft charges. The man had a previous history of organized fraud.
45-year-old Jose Bello-Valdez was charged with theft of merchandise between $1000 and $2500, as well as theft of merchandise between $2500 and $10,000.
Bello-Valdez had a bond of $5000 set on each charge; however, Knox County inmate records now show that he has an ICE detainer. This means he will remain in custody until he is released to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An immigrant detainer means Bello-Valdez was most likely in the country illegally.
This is not the first time Bello-Valdez has been in jail for theft. He is one of three men charged in what has been called one of the “grandest thefts, schemes” in South Florida in 2024.
Bello-Valdez was arrested in April 2024 after police had spent months investigating a string of thefts at Home Depot stores across the Miami-Dade area.
Lazaro Dunier Echevarria, who was working at a loss prevention officer for Home Depot, would make arrangements for Bello-Valdez to leave the store with high-priced merchandise concealed in boxes for less expensive items.
Another individual, Yoannys Montano-Solano, would purchase them and then resell those items below retail cost on Facebook marketplace.
All three men were charged with grand theft, organized fraud, and dealing in stolen property.
