A Long Beach man has been sentenced to more than 28 years in prison after leading a group responsible for a string of armed robberies in Antelope Valley, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On top of his 339-month prison term, 38-year-old Kaleb Williams will also pay $503,428 in restitution for his crimes that included multiple robberies, showcasing the significant penalties tied to violent thefts involving guns.

The culmination of a six-day trial in September 2023 led to Williams' conviction on various counts, which ranged from conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery to using a firearm in a crime of violence. United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha delivered the sentencing. Williams’ co-conspirator, Terrance Cleyon Pearson, is also facing prison time with his sentencing scheduled for August 30. According to a case description, the defendants plundered a jewelry store in Lancaster back in July 2019, making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise—adding a Glock firearm to their haul.

The criminal activities of Williams' crew extended to other establishments such as Party City and Home Depot, where they operated with a brazen disregard for both property and human life. During a Party City heist, they went as far as to drag an employee through the store and fired a gun to facilitate their escape. These aggressive robberies, estimated to have netted the crew close to a half-million dollars, exemplify the severe impact of gun-related crimes on business and communal safety.

Operation Safe Cities, an enforcement initiative focused on addressing violent crime, has played a central role in bringing Williams and his accomplices to justice. The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department led the investigation, with Assistant United States Attorneys Scott M. Lara and Kevin J. Butler prosecuting.