1 of 3 | New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been reunited with two missing Super Bowl jerseys. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI |
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April 5 (UPI) -- A young sports memorabilia collector helped federal investigators find Tom Brady's missing Super Bowl jerseys.
Dylan Wagner, 19, told CBS Boston that he was in communication with Mauricio Ortega before it was widely known that Brady's infamous Super Bowl 51 jersey was missing. The two exchanged photos of their respective collections, with Ortega's including a Super Bowl 49 Tom Brady jersey. Wagner remembered previous reports of that jersey also being reported missing at the time.
When Wagner asked Ortega how he got the jersey, Ortega declined to answer, saying: "I'll tell you later."
Wagner then told his friend, Boston ATF special agent Christopher Arone, about the collection. The agent reported it to the FBI. When it was announced that Brady's Super Bowl 51 jersey was also missing, Wagner sent his photos to the FBI. Investigators then got a search warrant for Ortega's property and recovered the jerseys. The Super Bowl 51 jersey had an assessed value of $500,000, according to the Houston Police Department.
"He [Arone] said the video doesn't prove anything. Without the photos I sent him they wouldn't have been able to get a search warrant to go into Ortega's basement and get the jerseys," Wagner told CBS Boston.
The Super Bowl XLIX and LI jerseys were found in Mexico. Patriots owner Robert Kraft presented Brady with his missing threads on Monday.
Ortega has not been charged with a crime.
Wagner didn't receive any credit in the FBI's official statement on March 23.
"Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston is pleased to return the jerseys worn by New England Patriots MVP Tom Brady during Super Bowl 49 and Super Bowl 51 to the New England Patriots and National Football League," said Harold H. Shaw, FBI Boston division special agent in charge. "We know how much this means to the Patriots and football fans everywhere, and we are honored to be able to bring these jerseys back to Foxboro."
"This was truly a cooperative effort, and we want to thank our FBI field offices in Chicago, Phoenix and Houston; the United States Attorney's offices in the District of Connecticut, the Southern District of Texas, and the District of Arizona; and our FBI Mexico City legal attaché. We would also like to thank our law enforcement partners in Mexico, in particular, the Mexican Attorney General's Office, for their invaluable assistance in resolving this matter. Assistance was also provided by the security teams from the NFL and the New England Patriots, the Massachusetts State Police and Houston Police Department."
Wagner gave the feds two separate addresses for the search. Ortega was a credentialed member of the international media for Super Bowl 51 on Feb. 5 at Houston's NRG Stadium.
Fox Sports 1 released video in March showing the theft.
Wagner told ABC Boston that he sold Ortega a Deion Branch jersey in December. Ortega sent Wagner 27 photos of his collection.
"I was like, 'Holy crap. I know this guy,'" Wagner told ABC Boston. "I sent everything I had to Chris, and I reached out to a few different agencies. I didn't get very far with them because they were overwhelmed with tips."
Wagner lives in Seattle but is a diehard Patriots fan. While Wagner has yet to receive a reported reward from Brady, he was given some FBI swag for his services, including a hat and a t-shirt.
