Georgia man admits to leading interstate jewelry theft ring after two days of federal testimony

Deuntria Lamar Lyons pleads guilty to leading a violent jewelry theft ring that used sledgehammers and guns to rob stores in Tennessee and North Carolina.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 3:54 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from WSMV4 Nashville

Mid-Trial Guilty Plea

Deuntria Lamar Lyons, a forty five year old resident of Valdosta, Georgia, entered a guilty plea on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The plea came after just two days of testimony in a federal trial that began earlier in the week. Lyons pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and substantive robbery counts. Notably, the admission was made without the benefit of a formal plea agreement, leaving the defendant facing the maximum statutory penalties for his role in coordinating the interstate criminal operation.

Violent Method of Operation

Federal prosecutors described a specific and violent pattern used by the theft ring during their spree. In July 2023, three masked individuals armed with handguns and sledgehammers stormed a jewelry store in Huntersville, North Carolina. While one suspect held employees at gunpoint, others used sledgehammers to shatter display cases. The group successfully stole approximately five hundred thousand dollars in diamonds and luxury watches during that single incident. U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson emphasized that the crew used intimidation and blunt force to bypass security measures and facilitate rapid exits.

Tennessee and Georgia Incidents

The theft ring also targeted Tennessee, specifically hitting the American Jewelry Company in Brentwood during August 2023. Store owners reported that two masked men entered the Franklin Road location and used similar smash and grab tactics to steal merchandise worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The spree eventually drew the attention of the FBI, which utilized intelligence to anticipate a planned robbery in Dunwoody, Georgia, on December 1. In a coordinated sting with local law enforcement, authorities were waiting at the scene when Lyons and his team arrived equipped with masks, firearms, and sledgehammers.