Queens Man Stole John Legend's Duffel Bag At JFK: Jury

JAMAICA, QUEENS -- A Queens man faces years behind bars for stealing singer John Legend's luggage - including a $30,000 pair of Cartier cufflinks - at JFK Airport.

Augustin Hilario, 64, was convicted on Tuesday of snatching Legend's Louis Vuitton from the airport luggage last year, following a weeklong trial in which the Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer testified against the Corona man.

Legend had just gotten off a flight to New York City from France on March 23, 2017, when the singer-songwriter left his Louis Vuitton carry-on unattended on a luggage car at Terminal 4.

Security footage of the terminal showed Hilario brazenly walking up to the unattended cart and pushing it away. He allegedly drove away from the airport with the black leather bag in tow.

"The defendant, who is known to airport personnel, was quickly identified through surveillance video footage by Port Authority Police and contacted in regards to swiping the bag," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

The $3,000 designer carry-on bag contained clothes, toiletries and a small box of cufflinks - which held the $30,000 pair of panther-head Cartier cufflinks, which Legend testified had sentimental value.

The diamond and green stone accessories were special to him because his wife Chrissy Teigen had given them to him as an anniversary gift and spent a lot of time searching for them, Legend testified. The panther was Legend's high school mascot, he explained to the jury.

A Port Authority police officer reviewing security camera footage of the heist recognized Hilario and tried to call his cell phone, according to court record. The cop then tracked down a friend of the Corona man, and Hilario eventually agreed to meet him at the airport and return the bag, authorities said.

But Hilario flaked on the meeting and was arrested after cops contacted him again.

"I know I should not have taken it," he told police. "I made a mistake."

Hilario was convicted of third-degree criminal possession and his sentencing is set for March 12.

He faces up to seven years in prison.

Lead photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/Associated Press