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.