Felon charged with stealing Jordyn Poulter's Olympic gold medal, which remains missing
A felon has been arrested and charged with stealing volleyball player Jordyn Poulter's Olympic gold medal.
Jordan Fernandez, 31, of Anaheim, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of burglary, two counts of identity theft, and bringing or sending a controlled substance into jail — all felonies. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records.
Fernandez, who was arrested on Friday and is being held without bail, was ordered to return to court on June 15 for a pretrial hearing.
Anaheim police say Fernandez has a lengthy criminal history. After pleading guilty on April 17, 2020 to a felony count of robbery, he was sentenced to 120 days in jail and three years of probation. He was jailed again in the case for 60 days on Jan. 27 of this year for violating his probation.
Poulter, who won the medal last year at the Tokyo Olympics, had parked her car in a Lincoln Avenue garage on the afternoon of May 25. When she returned to her unlocked car a few hours later, several items were missing, including the medal.
While Fernandez is in custody, the medal has not yet been recovered. Poulter is offering a $1,000 reward for its safe return with no questions asked.
Anyone with information about the gold medal's location can contact the Anaheim Police Department at (714) 765-1900.
