A Long Beach man was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for participating in the daytime smash-and-grab robbery
of a Beverly Hills jewelry store in which nearly $2.7 million worth of merchandise was stolen. He later displayed the jewelry on Instagram.
Ladell Tharpe, 39, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, known as a federal Hobbs Act crime, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Along with the prison term, U.S. District Judge George H. Wu ordered
Tharpe to pay almost $2.7 million in restitution.
On March 23, 2022, Tharpe, Deshon Bell, 22, of Long Beach, and Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, also of Long Beach, along with others, committed a robbery of the Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills store. Vernon used heavy tools to smash the store’s display case while employees were present, prosecutors said. Meanwhile, Tharpe led cars used to transport the robbers and the
getaway vehicle to the location. Bell was one of the getaway drivers. Tharpe also conducted surveillance and acted as the lookout for the robbers, papers filed in Los Angeles federal court show.
Vernon removed jewelry and other items from the store valued at nearly $2.7 million. The merchandise consisted of roughly 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, a pair of obelisks, eight rings and 20 watches, documents state. After the robbery, Vernon and his accomplices ran out of the store, leaving behind their Kia vehicle, which had been reported stolen out of Long Beach four days before the robbery, documents show.
During the heist, Vernon’s cell phone fell out of his pocket while he smashed the store’s window and was later recovered by law enforcement, according to an affidavit filed in L.A. federal court. Two days after the robbery, Tharpe posted on his Instagram account numerous photographs that included large stacks of money and a message praising his “robbery gang,” court documents state. Bell and Vernon each pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Wu sentenced Bell to a year and a day in federal prison in February 2024, as well as ordering him to pay almost $2.7 million in restitution. Vernon was sentenced last month to six years and eight months in prison and was also ordered to repay $2.7 million in restitution.
City News Service, Inc.
