A Long Beach resident, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, has been sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for his role in a daylight 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 issued the sentence and ordered Vernon to pay restitution amounting to $2,674,600. Vernon pleaded guilty on August 1 to interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and has been in 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 Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills. Vernon used heavy tools to break display cases while employees were present, causing fear among those inside the store. He then stole various items valued at approximately $2,674,600.
After committing the robbery, Vernon and his accomplices fled the scene but left behind their Kia vehicle reported stolen from Long Beach four days earlier. Vernon's cellphone fell out during the act and was later recovered by law enforcement officials.
Court documents revealed that two days post-robbery, one of Vernon's accomplices posted photos on Instagram showcasing large sums of money alongside a message lauding his "robbery gang."
Co-defendants Deshon Bell and Ladell Tharpe have also faced charges related to this crime. Bell pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is serving a one-year federal prison sentence. Tharpe pleaded guilty on September 30 and is awaiting sentencing scheduled for January 6, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI along with the Beverly Hills Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler from the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kevin B. Reidy from the Major Frauds Section.