Trevor Jonathan Wright, a 34-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 219 months in federal prison for leading a group responsible for a series of armed robberies targeting South Asian jewelry stores along the East Coast. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Wright, known as “Taliban Glizzy” in the rap community, pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025, to charges including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to his plea agreement, Wright admitted involvement in three major armed robberies: Virani Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey on June 10, 2022 ($1.2 million in gold jewelry); Paradise Jewelry in Paterson, New Jersey on October 25, 2022 ($1.93 million in gold jewelry); and Kishek Jewelers in Jacksonville, Florida on December 6, 2022 ($700,000). He also acknowledged unlawfully possessing a machine gun in Miami on May 27, 2021.
“Trevor Wright and his crew terrorized victims from Northern New Jersey to South Florida. His crew left behind a wake of destruction and great financial loss for family-owned businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They smashed glass display cases and shoveled the gold into laundry bags. After one armed robbery of nearly $2 million, Wright spent proceeds to purchase a Rolex. He sure won’t need a luxury watch to measure the more than 18 years he’ll now spend in prison.”
Judge Christopher R. Cooper also ordered Wright to serve four years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
Court documents indicate that between January 2022 and August 2023, Wright led an organized effort involving up to fifteen individuals who targeted jewelry stores selling high-purity gold items. The group planned each robbery carefully by researching targets and using rented or stolen vehicles—sometimes with stolen tags—to avoid detection. In at least one instance, they carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint.
The robbers cased their targets ahead of time and used forceful tactics such as breaking doors and windows with sledgehammers while displaying firearms to intimidate victims. The stolen jewelry was either sold through fences in Miami or melted down into bars for cash sales.
Wright was arrested on December 12, 2022, as he left the St. Yves nightclub in Washington D.C., where police recovered over $17,300 believed linked to the Jacksonville robbery.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI field offices from Newark, Jacksonville and Washington D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the United States Marshals Service.
Several co-defendants have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing for related crimes involving Hobbs Act robbery and firearms offenses.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing the sentence were ATF Special Agent Anthony A. Spotswood; FBI Assistant Director Darren B. Cox; FBI Special Agent Stefanie Roddy; U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta; and MPD Interim Chief Jeffrey W. Carroll.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi prosecuted the case.
