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The Long Beach man who served as the escape driver for a Smash and Glove robbery at a Beverly Hills jewelry store has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
Ladell Tharpe, 39, who pleaded guilty to robbery intervention in business in September, was also ordered to pay nearly $2.7 million in compensation, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.
That number is in line with the value of the stolen goods in 2022. Both Talpe and his accomplices, 22, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, and 33-year-old Jimmy Lee Vernon III, both in Long Beach, drove three vehicles into a Beverly Hills jewelry store, smashing the glass by sledgehammers.
The U.S. Department of Justice shared this 2022 image of Ladell Tharpe, shown on Instagram after a smash and grab robbery in Beverly Hills. Pedestrians pass the luxurious gems boarded by Beverly Hills on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California (AP Photo/Richard Fogel)
Investigators described the illegal transport as “at least 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, one pair of obelisks, eight rings and 20 watches.”
“Two days after the robbery, Tharpe posted a ton of cash images on Instagram with the text “The Robbery Gang,”” the release said.
“A brave criminal lawsuit directly targeting small businesses in Los Angeles County will not be tolerated,” Joseph McNally said. “The consequences of such actions are serious and punished accordingly. We would like to thank our law enforcement partners for the extraordinary loyal work during this investigation.”
As for Tharpe’s accomplices, Bell and Tharpe both pleaded guilty to the robbery and were each ordered to pay nearly $2.7 million in reparations.
Bell was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, while Vernon was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison.
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