Las Vegas Man Convicted in $471K Armed Jewelry Heist

Joshua Sadat Washington, 37, of Las Vegas, was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on multiple charges tied to a violent, premeditated robbery that netted more than $471,000 in cash and luxury jewelry. The heist targeted Alfredo’s Jewelry on August 13, 2016, where Washington and co-defendant Fedel Ezekiel Sakers stormed the shop at gunpoint, terrorizing two employees before fleeing with a fortune in stolen goods.

After a four-day trial packed with surveillance footage, forensic evidence, and damning postal records, the jury returned guilty verdicts on one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of transporting stolen goods across state lines. The conviction ensures Washington will face the full weight of federal sentencing, including a mandatory seven-year minimum for the gun charge—time that must be served consecutively to any other sentence.

According to court documents, Washington didn’t waste time moving the loot. On the same day as the robbery, he mailed a portion of the stolen jewelry to Miami, Florida. The next day, he shipped the remainder—clear evidence prosecutors say proves intent to launder and distribute high-value assets across state lines. Federal authorities traced the packages through postal records and delivery confirmations, building airtight proof of Washington’s role in the operation.

Co-defendant Fedel Ezekiel Sakers, who wielded the handgun during the robbery, has not yet been sentenced and remains in federal custody. Investigators say the two men coordinated the timing and escape, exploiting the brief window between store opening and peak foot traffic. Employees testified they were ordered to the floor and threatened with death if they moved—a moment one described as “silent, suffocating terror.”

The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department led the investigation, combing through security footage, transaction logs, and digital trails that linked Washington directly to the crime. Agents recovered partial evidence from the Miami parcels, including branded cases and serial-numbered timepieces, which matched inventory lists from Alfredo’s Jewelry. The swift coordination between local and federal forces was credited with preventing the permanent dispersal of the stolen assets.

United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey has scheduled Washington’s sentencing for June 11, 2018. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The firearms charge alone mandates a seven-year minimum, to be served without parole. U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson emphasized that violent crimes targeting commerce will be met with relentless prosecution: “Robbery with a gun isn’t just theft—it’s terror. And we won’t tolerate it.”

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