A Long Beach man has been sentenced to over six years in federal prison for his role in a high-stakes daytime robbery of a Beverly Hills jewelry store, the Department of Justice announced today. Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, will also be required to pay nearly $2.7 million in restitution for the theft, which involved smashing and grabbing luxury items in a bold daylight raid.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Vernon pled guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act. The March 2022 robbery saw Vernon and his accomplices use heavy tools to brazenly smash display cases and terrorize employees, making off with a large haul of jewelry. In a desperate bid to quickly exit, Vernon's cell phone was inadvertently dropped at the scene, later becoming a crucial piece of evidence against him.

The stolen goods had a combined value of $2,674,600, encompassing a wide array of high-end merchandise. After the heist, evidence of the crime spilled into social media when an accomplice posted images of large stacks of cash alongside a message glorifying their "robbery gang."

Part of the investigation revealed that Vernon's vehicle, left behind in haste, had been reported stolen just days before the theft. United States Attorney Martin Estrada expressed his disdain for such crimes, stating, "This defendant took part in a blatant assault on a store operating in daylight hours, believing he could rob and intimidate others with impunity," as stated by the DOJ’s report. "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."

Vernon has been in custody since September 2022 and began serving his sentence immediately. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department with the successful prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Kevin B. Reidy. As for Vernon’s co-defendants, Deshon Bell is already in prison, and Ladell Tharpe awaits sentencing. Tharpe's hearing is set for January 6, 2025.