Houston men convicted of robbing LC jewelry store receive lengthy federal prison sentences

Special to the American Press

United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that  four men from Houston, Texas, who robbed a jewelry store in Lake Charles on June 8, 2020,  have been sentenced. All four defendants pleaded guilty to one count of interference with  commerce by robbery and were sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr.

Phaezon Stewart, 24, was sentenced to 151 months (12 years, 7 months) in prison,  followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Joshua Evans, 35, was sentenced to 137 months (11 years, 5 months) in prison,  followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Cary S. Nimmons, Jr., 32, was sentenced to 105 months (8 years, 9 months) in prison,  followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Johnson Moore, 25, was sentenced to 135 months (11 years, 2 months) in prison,  followed by 3 years of supervised release.

On June 8, 2020, Stewart and other individuals traveled from Houston to Lake Charles  with the intention to commit a robbery of Nederland Jewelers. On that date, Stewart entered  the store armed with a black Springfield XD handgun and ordered the employees to get on  the ground. Evans and Terry entered the store wearing masks and armed with hammers and  one carrying a backpack. While Stewart pointed the firearm at the employee victims, the others used hammers to break the glass display cases and remove over 34 Rolex watches with  an estimated value of over $350,000. Stewart and the others then exited the store and fled the  scene in a white Porsche.

The white Porsche then traveled to the L’Auberge Casino and stopped and met with  a Chevrolet Impala being driven by Nimmons, with Moore as a passenger. Evans and Terry  exited the Porsche with the backpack containing the stolen Rolex watches and got into the  Impala with Nimmons and Moore and began traveling towards a residence in Lake Charles.  Law enforcement agents were able to track the suspects to a specific area on Pryce Street in  Lake Charles and began to search the area. Officers located Terry and Evans hiding in a shed  with the backpack in their possession which contained 32 of the 34 stolen Rolex watches.

Nimmons was found in a nearby carport and Moore was found behind a residence less than  200 feet from where the other defendants were located, and all were subsequently arrested.

Trevione James Terry, 26, a co-conspirator in this case, is scheduled to be sentenced  Oct. 10, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., for his involvement in this robbery, as well as the robbery of  Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas on May 7, 2020. Terry pleaded guilty to a Bill of  Information on July 8, 2024, charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, using  carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lake Charles Police  Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney  Daniel J. Vermaelen.