Two men who sold a victim $15,800 worth of fake gold jewelry in the Sunset Foods parking lot in Lake Forest, then rammed an unmarked police vehicle while fleeing, will serve no additional jail time after pleading guilty to felony theft charges in Lake County court.

Florin Ghiocel, 21, of Spring Hill, Florida, received 30 months of probation and 150 hours of public service. Alexandru Trandafir, 20, of Waukegan, received 24 months of probation and 150 hours of public service. A 180-day jail sentence for each was considered served with credit for 112 days already spent in Lake County Jail, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.

How the scam worked

The scheme began Monday, March 9, when Ghiocel approached a victim in the Costco parking lot in Mettawa, asking for money to get to the airport. The victim gave him cash and bought him gas. The two exchanged contact information after the victim expressed interest in buying gold jewelry.

The next day, March 10, Ghiocel met the victim in the Sunset Foods parking lot in Lake Forest and offered to sell $16,000 worth of gold jewelry for $15,800 cash. The victim paid.

The jewelry was worthless.

Lake Forest Police took the items to a Highland Park jeweler, which confirmed they were not gold. Trandafir later told officers he knew the jewelry was not genuine gold, that it came from China, and that the two needed to make money, according to Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Cannon.

Sting operation and arrest

On Wednesday, March 11, the victim received messages from a phone number linked to Trandafir offering to sell more gold jewelry. Police set up surveillance at a planned exchange at a Costco parking lot.

Officers watched a grey Hyundai Santa Fe with Texas plates, later identified as a rental car, circling the lot for about 15 minutes. When officers approached, Ghiocel tried to flee and struck an unmarked police vehicle.

Ghiocel, Trandafir, and two young juveniles were inside the car. A satchel containing additional jewelry was found in the vehicle. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services responded to the scene because of the juveniles.

One of the children told officers the group had been in California the previous week. Separately, police were contacted by a California investigator regarding Ghiocel and Trandafir as suspects in similar offenses there.

Cannon said at the detention hearing that the defendants "have absolutely zero ties to the Lake County community, or to the State of Illinois," noting they had been staying at an Airbnb in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and driving a rental vehicle.

Charges and plea deals

Both men were charged in April 2026. Ghiocel faced four counts including theft by deception over $10,000, a Class 2 felony. Trandafir faced two conspiracy charges. Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim ordered both detained pending trial.

In late June, both entered negotiated plea deals. Ghiocel pleaded guilty to one count of theft by deception over $10,000. Trandafir pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception over $10,000, a Class 3 felony.

Both were ordered to have no contact with the victim and to abstain from alcohol and drugs during their probation.