Long Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Jewelry Store Robbery

Jimmy Lee Vernon III, a 32-year-old man from Long Beach, pleaded guilty on August 1 to participating in a violent smash-and-grab jewelry heist in Beverly Hills that resulted in nearly $2.7 million in stolen merchandise. The robbery occurred on March 23, 2022, when Vernon used heavy tools to break into the Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills store, terrifying employees and stealing an array of jewelry, including bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and watches. His cell phone was left behind at the crime scene and later recovered by law enforcement. Following the robbery, one of his accomplices boasted about the crime on Instagram, showing large stacks of cash. Vernon is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, where he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, while one co-defendant has already been sentenced and another awaits trial. U.S. District Judge George H. Wu presided over the case, which falls under the Hobbs Act for robbery affecting interstate commerce.