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3 Men Plead Guilty To Kidnapping, Jewelry Store Robbery In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Three men pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the kidnapping and subsequent robbery of Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield in April 2013, according to Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut.

Three men charged in the kidnapping of two men and the robbery of Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield pleaded guilty to federal robbery and firearm charges.

Three men charged in the kidnapping of two men and the robbery of Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield pleaded guilty to federal robbery and firearm charges.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Fairfield Police

William Davis, 27, and Jeffrey Houston, 28, both of Allentown, Pa., along with Christopher Gay, 29 of the Bronx, N.Y., admitted to being part of a group of five men who facilitated the kidnapping and robbery, according to a statement from Daly. 

The suspects wore masks and invaded a Meriden apartment, tying up four people with duct tape and covering their heads with pillow cases, towels and jackets.

Davis, Gay and Houston then forced two of the victims who were employees of Lenox Jewelers into a vehicle and drove to the to the Fairfield store.

The victims were forced to open the door along with the safe, allowing the suspects to steal between $4 million and $5 million in jewelry, watches and loose diamonds, Daly said. 

Davis, Gay and Houston all pleaded guilty to federal charges of interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

As part of the guilty plea, the three men have agreed to forfeit gemstones, jewelry and watches and more than $127,000 in cash seized from them. Houston has also agreed to forfeit his vehicle, Daly said. 

The three men face at minimum of seven years in prison for the firearm charge and could serve another 20 years each for robbery. Each man could also face a restitution order of $3 million, she said. 

Two other individuals have been charged with participating in this kidnapping and robbery and are awaiting trial.

A joint task force including the Fairfield Police, Meriden Police, the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. attorney’s office investigated the case.

 

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