Father And Son Plead Guilty To Robbing Six Smoke Shops And Two Credit Unions

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A father and son pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing six smoke shop robberies and two bank robberies in early 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

Jeffrey Alan James, 53, and Jessy Stewart James, 23, both of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to a criminal information that charged them with seven-counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Bank Robbery. United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware accepted their guilty pleas and scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 26, 2018.

According to documents filed in court, on January 19, 2017, Jeffrey James threatened an employee at KS Smoke Shop, located at 3827 E. Sunset Road, with a BB gun revolver and demanded money. Jessy James, his son, watched the store’s entrance and acted as a lookout. They stole approximately $205. The second robbery occurred on January 22, when each defendant used a firearm to threaten an employee at D Smoke Shop located at 3711 S. Valley View. They stole approximately $300. On January 24, Jeffrey James pointed a BB gun revolver in the direction of a teller’s head during a robbery at the Silver State Schools Credit Union located at 9302 S. Eastern Avenue in Henderson. During that robbery, Jessy James placed a suitcase on the counter and told another teller that if she followed their instructions she would not get shot. They got away with approximately $4,000. On January 31, Jeffrey James threatened a clerk at Smokes and Vapors Smoke Shop, located at 9101 W. Sahara, with a revolver while Jessy James instructed the clerk to “pull [the money] out fast.” They stole approximately $100.

The defendants further admitted that, on February 1, during the fifth robbery, Jessy James pointed a replica assault rifle at two employees at Smoke Shop Plus, located at 7320 S. Rainbow Blvd., and instructed them to “open the register and give me all the money you have.” He fled with approximately $900, while Jeffrey James acted as a getaway driver. Then, on February 5, they simulated the possession of firearms and demanded money from two employees at Smoke and Cigar Smoke Shop, located at 8550 W. Desert Inn, stating that they were committing a “robbery.” They stole approximately $300. Then, on February 14, Jeffrey James threatened a clerk at EZ Smokes Smoke Shop, located at 8930 S. Maryland Parkway, with a revolver and demanded money. The employee explained that there was no money in the register, so Jeffrey James stole Marlboro cigarettes while Jessy James waited outside as a getaway driver. The eighth and final robbery occurred on February 16, when the father-son duo robbed the America First Credit Union located at 10608 S. Eastern Avenue, in Henderson. Jessy James threatened a teller with a BB gun and a presented a note that read, “This is a robbery, not a joke.” Jeffrey James waited outside and acted as a getaway driver. They stole approximately $4,207.

The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of Hobbs Act Robbery and Bank Robbery.

The case was investigated by the Henderson Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burns is prosecuting the case.