The robbers took $100,000 worth of jewelry.
A woman who held the door for three masked gunmen to enter a jewelry store in the U.S. Virgin Islands has been sentenced to 70 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced.
After a five-day trial in March 2015, a federal jury on St. Croix convicted Ketisha Iles, 25, of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by robbery.
Evidence presented at trial established that on June 17, 2013, after Iles was buzzed into Perfection Jewelry Store, she held the door open for the three gunmen, Hewlett said in a press release.
Once in the store, one of the gunmen hit an employee several times with a gun, according to the release. Another gunman stood at the door while the others broke the display case and stole approximately $100,000 worth of 14-carat gold jewelry.
The evidence also showed that Iles knew of the robbery before it happened and agreed to hold the door open for the gunmen, Hewlett said.
Senior District Court Judge Raymond Finch also sentenced Iles to three years of supervised release and a special monetary assessment of $200.
Advertisement
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
