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Lake Charles, LA--One of five men convicted in a 2020 Nederland Jewelers heist will continue to serve a 75-year sentence for armed robbery.

Trevione James Terry, described by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the “mastermind” of the Nederland heist, is also serving a 20-year sentence for his part in an Austin, Texas, robbery, the American Press newspaper reported.

According to court documents, Terry and the four others traveled from Houston to Lake Charles with the intent to rob Nederland Jewelers on Nelson Road, the newspaper reported. When they arrived, Phaezon Stewart entered the store armed with a handgun and ordered the employees to get on the ground.

Stewart was then reportedly followed into the store by Terry, Joshua Evans, Johnson Moore and Cary Nimmons Jr. — who were all wearing masks and armed with hammers. While Stewart pointed the firearm at the employees, the others broke the glass display cases and removed 34 Rolex watches, according to the report. The watches had an estimated value of $350,000.

After they fled in two cars, Law enforcement agents tracked down Terry and Evans hiding in a shed with the backpack that 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 others were located.

The newspaper reported that on June 14, 2024, a jury found Terry guilty of armed robbery with a firearm. On June 31, 2024, he was sentenced to 75 years without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. He appealed the sentence, claiming the trial court erred when a prospective juror who is a law enforcement officer employed part-time as a reserve marshal and who was acquainted with one of the witnesses, which was denied, according to the report. The Louisiana 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal denied Terry’s claims.

Read more at: https://americanpress.com/2026/01/06/sentence-stands-in-2020-jewelry-store-heist/