U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada | U.S. Department of Justice
A Long Beach resident, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, has been sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for his involvement in a daylight smash-and-grab robbery at a Beverly Hills jewelry store. The incident, which occurred in March 2022, resulted in the theft of nearly $2.7 million worth of merchandise.
United States District Judge George H. Wu handed down the sentence and ordered Vernon to pay restitution amounting to $2,674,600. Vernon had previously pleaded guilty on August 1 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and has been held in federal custody since September 2022.
“This defendant took part in a blatant assault on a store operating in daylight hours, believing he could rob and intimidate others with impunity,” stated United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Now, he will serve a lengthy sentence in federal prison. Our office and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate these sorts of brazen attacks on our community.”
The robbery took place on March 22, 2022, at the Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills store. Vernon used heavy tools to break into the display cases while employees were present, instilling fear among those inside. He then stole items valued at approximately $2,674,600 including bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, watches and other valuables.
Following the theft, Vernon and his accomplices fled the scene leaving behind their stolen Kia vehicle. During the crime, Vernon's cellphone fell from his pocket as he smashed a window and was later recovered by authorities.
Court documents revealed that two days after the robbery an accomplice posted photos featuring large sums of money on Instagram along with messages praising their "robbery gang."
Regarding Vernon's co-defendants: Deshon Bell has pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and is serving a sentence of one year plus one day; Ladell Tharpe also pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery charges and awaits sentencing scheduled for January 6th next year.
The investigation was conducted by both the FBI and Beverly Hills Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler from Violent & Organized Crime Section alongside Kevin B Reidy from Major Frauds Section.
