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Pa. Man Gets 19 Years For Kidnapping, Robbery At Fairfield Jewelry Store

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — A Pennsylvania man will spend 19 years in federal prison for his role in a violent kidnapping and robbery of a Fairfield jewelry store robbery over four years ago, prosecutors said. 

This photo shows one of the suspects forcing an employee to open Fairfield's Lenox Jewelers in a robbery in April 2013.

This photo shows one of the suspects forcing an employee to open Fairfield's Lenox Jewelers in a robbery in April 2013.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Fairfield Police

Timothy Forbes, 35, of Allentown, was also sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill to five years of supervised release after his prison term, said U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly.

The crime began at 9 p.m. April 11, 2013, Kasam Hennix, William Davis, Christopher Gay and Jeffrey Houston, two of whom were armed with handguns, broke into an apartment in Meriden, bound four victims with duct tape and covered their heads with pillowcases, prosecutors said. They forced two of the victims into a victim’s vehicle and drove to Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield, where the two victims worked. Forbes traveled to Fairfield in a separate vehicle, and Gay remained in the apartment to guard the two other victims.

Hennix, Davis and Houston stole jewelry, watches and loose diamonds worth over $3 million from the Fairfield store. They then fled in the victim’s car, leaving the two victims bound inside the store. They abandoned that vehicle and got into Forbes’ vehicle. One of the defendants called Gay to advise him that they had successfully carried out the robbery and that he should leave the apartment. 

The five defendants, who had fled the state, were arrested in May 2013.

On Jan. 19, 2017, Forbes pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Hennix, Davis, Houston and Gay also pleaded guilty to related charges. Davis was sentenced to 176 months in prison; Gay to 102 months; Hennix to 171 months, and Houston to 90 months.

The defendants have been ordered to pay restitution of more than $3.1 million, and have forfeited gemstones, jewelry, watches, a vehicle, and more than $127,000 in cash.

Forbes has been involved in at least three similar jewelry store robberies, including one in York, Pa., in July 2012. During that robbery, one of Forbes’ co-defendants shot the owner of the store, permanently disabling him. On March 23, 2016, Forbes was sentenced to 14 years in prison in that robbery.

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