U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger today sentenced Jameise Vaughn Christian (22, Washington, DC) to 12 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies in New Jersey and Florida, as well as for brandishing a firearm during the robberies.
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According to court documents, Christian and his co-conspirators planned and executed a series of jewelry store robberies in New Jersey, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the group targeted predominantly South Asian jewelry stores along the East Coast.
Wearing disguises and armed with firearms, they used hammers to smash jewelry display cases and steal valuable items. These stores were specifically chosen because they sold high-purity gold, which yielded higher proceeds when sold for cash.
There are two planned robberies that Christian is being charged for:
- October 2022
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- Occurred in Patterson, New Jersey.
- Joined by Trevor Wright, William Hunter, Keith McDuffie, and an unindicted co-conspirator.
- Stole approximately $1.9 Million
- December 2022
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- Occurred in Jacksonville, Florida.
- Joined by Trevor Wright, Avery Fuller, Antonio Tate, and Jaylaun Brown.
- Stole approximately $880,000.