A Long Beach man, involved in a high-profile Beverly Hills jewelry heist in 2022, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison. Ladell Tharpe, 39, was ordered by United States District Judge George H. Wu to serve time for his role in the smash-and-grab robbery that resulted in over $2.6 million worth of merchandise being stolen, a crime he later flaunted on his social media. In addition to prison time, Tharpe must face financial consequences, being ordered to pay $2,674,600 in restitution.
Tharpe's brazen act of displaying the cash on Instagram with the caption "Robbery Gang" not long after the theft only adds another layer of brashness to the case. According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office, he's been in custody since March 2023 and pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). "Brazen criminal action that directly targets our small businesses in Los Angeles County will not be tolerated," said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. "The consequences for such action are severe and penalized accordingly."
The robbery was carried out with precision, as Tharpe along with Deshon Bell, 22, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, and an unnamed minor used sledgehammers and crowbars to smash the store's glass cases to grab 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, a pair of obelisks, eight rings, and 20 watches – totaling an estimated $2,674,600 in value. The crime was swiftly executed while employees, and customers were present, a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of others.
Bell and Vernon also faced justice for their roles in the crime, with both pleading guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Bell received a sentence of one year and one day in federal prison, back in February 2024, and similar to Tharpe, he must pay $2,674,000 in restitution. Vernon, whose slip-up of dropping his cellphone at the crime scene led to his capture, was sentenced to 80 months in prison last month and also must repay $2,674,000.
The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department were commended for their investigation leading to the arrests and successful prosecution of the defendants. "We value our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appreciate the investigators who relentlessly pursued and prosecuted those responsible for this crime," declared Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark G. Stainbrook. "As a reminder, crime will not be tolerated in Beverly Hills."
