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Long Beach man gets 6 years in federal prison for role in Beverly Hills smash-and-grab robbery

Federal authorities say Jimmy Lee Vernon III and several accomplices made off with roughly $2.7 million worth of jewelry during the March 23, 2022 robbery.

Long Beach man gets 6 years in federal prison for role in Beverly Hills smash-and-grab robbery
Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova via Pexels.

A Long Beach man was sentenced Thursday to six years and eight months in federal prison for his role in a 2022 robbery at a Beverly Hills jewelry store, federal authorities said.

Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, and several accomplices robbed the Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills in a "smash-and-grab" operation on March 23, 2022, according to the US Department of Justice.

Using heavy tools, Vernon smashed the store's display in the presence of employees and took off with roughly $2.7 million worth of jewelry, according to federal authorities. This included 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, a pair of obelisks, eight rings and 20 watches, they added.

Two days later, one of Vernon’s accomplices posted a photo on Instagram featuring a large stack of money and a caption saying “robbery gang,” according to the Department of Justice. 

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Investigators used this, and Vernon’s cellphone, which fell out of his pocket while he smashed the store’s windows during the robbery, to identify the people involved in the crime, federal authorities said. It's unclear if any of the jewelry was ever recovered.

Vernon was arrested in connection to the crime in September 2022. On Aug. 1, he pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery.

“This defendant took part in a blatant assault on a store operating in daylight hours, believing he could rob and intimidate others with impunity,” said 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,” Estrada added.

The judge also ordered Vernon to pay back $2,674,600 in restitution, according to federal authorities.

One of Vernon's accomplices, Deshon Bell of Long Beach, was previously sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of robbery in December 2023.

A third defendant, Ladell Tharpe of Long Beach, pleaded guilty on Sept. 30 to one count robbery, just days before the trial against him was expected to begin, according to authorities.

Tharpe will be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2025 according to federal authorities.

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