Long Beach Man Sentenced to More Than 28 Years in Prison for Leading Crew that Committed Several Armed Robberies in the Antelope Valley

LOS ANGELES - A Long Beach man was sentenced today to 339 months in federal prison for leading a crew that committed several armed robberies in the Antelope Valley that netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in ill-gotten gains.

Kaleb Williams, 38, of Long Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered him to pay $503,428 in restitution.

"Violent gun crime corrodes our community's feeling of safety," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "Today's sentence shows criminals that when you break the law and use a gun to do it, the penalties will be severe."

At the conclusion of a six-day trial in September 2023, a jury found Williams guilty of two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, three counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Additionally, Williams' co-conspirator, Terrance Cleyon Pearson, 44, of Long Beach, was also found guilty at the same trial of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 30.

Four of his other accomplices have also been convicted and will be sentenced in the coming months.

• Gilbert Alexander Bailey Jr., 38, of Los Angeles;
• Tevaughn Brown, 33, of Bellflower;
• Da'Mari Mario Crane, 23, of Lancaster; and
• Tonisha Marie Johnson, 44, of Lancaster.

According to court documents, in July 2019 Williams, Bailey, Johnson, and four others traveled to a jewelry store in Lancaster. Johnson approached the store's door and awaited the employees to remotely unlock the door. Once the door was opened, Bailey and three accomplices entered. Two of the individuals then brandished handguns, intimidating both employees and a customer, while Bailey proceeded to seize jewelry from a shattered display case that had been smashed by another accomplice. The defendants escaped with approximately 348 pieces of jewelry valued at approximately $479,000, along with a Glock firearm, and caused approximately $5,000 in damage before fleeing the scene.

Williams and his accomplices committed a series of other robberies including one at Party City in Palmdale in October 2019, stealing approximately $10,000. During that robbery, the robbers grabbed a store employee by the shirt and dragged her through the store. One of the robbers, armed with a .45-caliber firearm, shot at a glass door that had closed and locked behind them during the robbery, shattering the door and allowing them to escape. The crew also robbed a Home Depot store in Lancaster in May 2020, stealing approximately $6,828 a gunpoint from the store vault.

Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.

The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated this case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Scott M. Lara and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.

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