Ex-Heat Security Officer Sentenced to 3 Years for Jersey Theft

A former Miami Heat security officer was sentenced to three years in federal prison this month for stealing hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia from the team and selling them across state lines. Marcos Tomas Perez, 62, must also pay nearly 1.9 million dollars in restitution to the Miami Heat and a 10,000-dollar fine, following his guilty plea last August to transporting stolen goods in interstate commerce.

Perez, a 25-year veteran of the Miami Police Department who retired before joining the Heat's security team in 2016, exploited his position to access a secured equipment room at the Kaseya Center, the team's arena. From 2016 to 2021, he worked for the Heat, and from 2022 to 2025, he served in a similar role for the NBA. As part of the gameday security detail, Perez was among a small group of employees granted entry to the room, which housed items intended for a future team museum.

Federal prosecutors and the FBI detailed how Perez stole more than 400 jerseys and other pieces over a three-year period, often slipping away from his post under pretexts like using the restroom. He would unlock the storage area, prop the door open, and remove items at the end of...