Robert Sheffield, a 34-year-old man from the District of Columbia, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his part in a string of violent robberies targeting South Asian jewelry stores. In a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Sheffield, who goes by "Da Real Lifaa," entered a guilty plea to charges of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and possessing a firearm during a violent crime.
The series of heists, sprawled across multiple states, involved a crew of 15, allegedly led by Trevor Wright, also known as the rapper "Taliban Glizzy." During these robberies, Sheffield and his cohorts managed to obtain millions in cash and gold. As noted in the plea agreement, Sheffield admitted to his direct involvement in the armed robberies, one occurring on Nov. 10, 2023, at Baral Jewelers in Harrisburg, Pa., and another at Yasini Jewelers in Falls Church, Va., on April 28, 2023. Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who handed down the sentence, has also mandated a subsequent five years of supervised release once Sheffield concludes his prison term. the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.
Federal prosecutors have detailed the crew's modus operandi, revealing a calculated approach that preyed specifically on heavy gold jewelry known for its high purity. The crew's criminal activities commenced in January 2022 and continued until August 2023, at which point arrests began. According to court documents, the Nov. 10, 2022, theft at Baral Jewelers involved Sheffield alongside other accomplices who subdued employees and customers at gunpoint, while others smashed and grabbed gold items. In the aftermath, social media posts flaunted the spoils; one co-defendant shared an image of Sheffield with a cash stack, and another showcased a pricey Rolex purchase.
At Yasini Jewelers, Sheffield, five other suspects initiated the break-in by smashing the store's window with a sledgehammer, a bold repeat attack after a prior heist there in January 2022. The store owner responded with gunfire, leading to an exchange of shots as the intruders fled empty-handed. The searches following Sheffield's arrest led to the recovery of the handgun used at Yasini and live ammunition from his residence. His criminal history includes a five-year stint for a prior armed robbery.
This extensive investigation drew on the resources of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI's Newark and Washington Field Offices, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Andrea Duvall prosecuting the case. The collective efforts of these agencies have been instrumental in dismantling a criminal operation that wreaked havoc on the South Asian business community and brought a measure of justice and closure to the victims of these harrowing crimes.
