Retired Miami officer pleads guilty to selling stolen Heat jerseys, memorabilia
Retired veteran Miami police officer Marcos Thomas Perez pleaded guilty to selling hundreds of stolen, game-worn Miami Heat jerseys and memorabilia, raking in tens of thousands of dollars.
On Tuesday, Perez, 62, appeared in Miami federal court to accept a plea agreement, reneging his former plea of not guilty to his charge of transportation of stolen goods.
NBC 6 reported his defense attorney, Robert Buschel, said, “He’s depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior and we’re gonna work through this issue in his life.”
Perez, a former Miami Heat security guard, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years probation and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is penciled in for Oct. 31, where prosecutors will recommend a lower sentence as part of the plea.
“This was an unfortunate set of decisions that he made and he’s going to accept responsibility for that,” Buschel said.
READ MORE: Ex-Miami Police vet charged in heist of LeBron, Shaq, Wade jerseys owned by Heat
Multi-million dollar caper
After Perez’s 25-year tenure with the City of Miami Police Department, he joined the Miami Heat organization as a security officer in 2016.
From 2016 to 2021, as a Heat security employee, and from 2022 to 2025, as an NBA security employee, Perez conducted the theft of over 400 game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia. He was among a number of trusted few who were allowed to access a secure equipment room, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami said.
Over a three-year period, he sold over 100 stolen items that were valued for about $2 million and shipped outside Florida. Authorities seized about 300 game-worn jerseys and memorabilia when he was arrested in April by the FBI.
According to a source, some of the stolen items included game-worn gear from high-profile players such as LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, among others, and are believed to be worth millions of dollars.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 9:37 AM.
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