Luckenson Estiverne, 41, of Miami, was found guilty of Grand Theft in the Second Degree following a four-day trial in Collier County.
The crime happened on March 19, 2021. A group of men, including the defendant, drove to Southwest Florida from Miami. Several were in a rented U-Haul truck and another was in a Dodge Charger. In the early morning hours, the men stopped at a convenience store just off I-75 in Collier County. A delivery driver was beginning to unload his first delivery of the day.
The driver was attacked and held down by a co-defendant as Estiverne assisted in stealing more than $23,000 in tobacco products from the truck, including cigarettes, cigars, and vapes. As he moved the goods into the U-Haul, co-defendant, Dwaight Hudson Jr., beat the delivery driver. Another codefendant, a juvenile, also moved stolen items into their truck. More than 1900 items were stolen.
After the theft, the defendants fled. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and located the U-Haul. Deputies attempted to do a traffic stop, but the truck continued going. As the truck crossed county lines into Broward County, along Alligator Alley, the Florida Highway Patrol began pursuit.
The truck then went off the shoulder of the road, as the driver lost control. The occupants jumped out of the truck and some of the defendants got into the Charger which pulled up to the scene.
The driver of the Charger, defendant Denorio Humes, was prosecuted by the FBI, on Federal charges, for his involvement with this case and other cases. There is another co-defendant who is awaiting trial.
Assistant State Attorney Sarah Woodward and Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano prosecuted the case. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2022.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office