2022 Woodbridge Jewelry Store Burglary Linked To D.C. Crime Ring

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — On June 10, 2022 a jewelry store in Woodbridge's Iselin section was robbed at gunpoint.

And now this week, U.S. Attorneys announced here they have charged 16 people in connection with that crime. Federal prosecutors say they robbed jewelry stores up and down the East Coast, and they specifically targeted jewelry stores owned by Asian Americans.

They are accused of breaking into nine jewelry stores in the past year, including three stores in New Jersey (Woodbridge, Paterson and South Brunswick).

Many of the jewelry stores are family-owned. In nearly all the instances, they showed a gun and ordered store employees to lie down on the ground as they ransacked the stores.

In Woodbridge, Virani Jewelers on Oak Tree Road was robbed just as the store was closing, at 7:45 p.m. on a Friday, said Woodbridge Police at the time. Men dressed all in black and armed with a gun followed an employee inside the store as he walked through the security door. You can watch store security video released by the store, which shows the entire robbery as it unfolds: https://www.reddit.com/r/newje...

The robberies occurred between January 7, 2022 through January 27, 2023, and included:

• January 7, 2022: Yasini Jewelers in E. Falls Church, VA
• June 10, 2022: Virani Jewelers in Woodbridge, NJ
• September 20, 2022: Sonia Jewelers & Boutique, in Springfield, VA
• October 25, 2022: Paradise Jewelry Store, in Paterson, NJ
• November 10, 2022: Baral Jewelers & Gifts, in Harrisburg, PA
• November 27, 2022: Sara Emporium Jewelry & Boutique, in Springfield, VA
• December 6, 2022: Kishek Jewelers, in Jacksonville, FL
• December 22, 2022: Chintamanis Inc., in Franklin Park, NJ
• January 27, 2023: Princess Diamonds, in Falls Church, VA

Federal prosecutors said in this indictment, unsealed Aug. 30, that the crime ring was based in Washington, D.C., and its members lived in the D.C., Virginia and Maryland area. They would always wear dark clothing, masks and gloves, armed with a gun and used stolen cars to flee from the crime scene.

All 16 men alleged to be in the crime ring have been taken into police custody. They are:

• Andrew Smith aka “Drewso” or “Drew” 29 of Maryland
• Antonio Tate, aka “Motion” or “T-Motion” 20 Washington, D.C.
• Avery Fuller, aka “Ace”, “Fully”, or “Fully Ace” 28 Washington, D.C.
• Davon Johnson, aka “Yb” 30 Washington, D.C.
• Decarlos Hill, aka “Los” 29 Maryland
• Delonte Martin, aka “DD” 25 Washington, D.C.
• Franklin Hunter, aka “Gino” 29 Washington, D.C.
• Hesham Gomaa 45 Virginia
• Jameise Christian, aka “Safe Play”, “Safety”, or “Safe” 32 Washington, D.C.
• Jaylaun Brown, aka “Lil Launy” 21 Washington, D.C.
• Keith McDuffie 26 California
• Robert Sheffield, aka “Real Lifaa” 32 Washington, D.C.
• Timothy Conrad, aka “Twin” 32 Washington, D.C.
• Trevor Wright, aka “Taliban Glizzy” 32 Washington, D.C.
• William Hunter, aka “Ill Will” 28 Washington, D.C.
• Lamont Marable 27 Washington, D.C.

“The defendants targeted small businesses along the East Coast, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry from hardworking families,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the U.S. Attorney's office. “For the past 20 months, the FBI worked with our partners across state lines to connect the defendants to these heists."

“We allege these suspects took part in take-over style armed robberies meant to terrify and overwhelm store owners and employees,” said FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy. “Many of the victim businesses are family-owned and operated and lost large sums of inventory. We have a message for criminals out there right now who believe these smash-and-grab robberies work in their favor because they mistakenly believe no one will hold them accountable. That’s not the case here — and it won’t be the case in the future. FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners will make sure if we can charge something federally, we will make that happen.”

All the men are charged with violating the federal Hobbs Act, which is crimes that occur across state lines.

Original Patch report on this incident: Armed Robbery At Woodbridge Jewelry Store; Employees Thrown To Ground (June 13, 2022)