Smash-and-grab robbery at The Jewelry Exchange brings prison terms up to 19 years

Five men pleaded guilty on Friday, Nov. 22 to a smash-and-grab robbery in the middle of the afternoon at The Jewelry Exchange in Tustin.

The defendants were accused of robbing the store at 15732 Tustin Village Way around 2 p.m. on April 28, 2022.

Six masked, gun-wielding bandits smashed jewelry cases with a tire iron and hammers and snagged about $87,000 worth of valuables before fleeing, police said.

The robbers hopped a fence onto the 55 Freeway and got away in three getaway vehicles, according to authorities.

On Friday, the five men all pleaded guilty to the same charges – two counts of robbery, a count of attempted robbery and five counts of assault with a firearm with sentencing enhancements for being armed with a gun in the commission of a felony.

Two of the defendants each got 19 years in prison. Another man got 12 years. One got six years and six months and one got five years.

Trayvonte Washington, 32, was sentenced to 19 years in prison; Cameron Ajaie Smith, 30, was also sentenced to 19 years; Gregory Edison, 27, was sentenced to 12 years and given credit for 824 days in jail; Masiah Ethan Pagota, 21, was sentenced to six years and six months; and Naheim Jaree Milton, 21, was sentenced to five years.

A 26-year-old man is awaiting trial on the same charges.

It was not immediately known on Friday if any of the jewelry was recovered.