Two indicted in London Jewelers heist
Christopher Evans, 29, left, and Angelo Brown, 35, right, both of Brooklyn, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with their roles in the gunpoint robbery of an upscale jewelry store in the Americana Manhasset mall in 2011, federal prosecutors said. Credit: Handout
Two Brooklyn men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in the daylight gunpoint robbery of an upscale jewelry store in the Americana Manhasset mall in 2011, federal prosecutors said.
Christopher Evans, 29, was arraigned Thursday before Judge Joseph F. Bianco in U.S. District Court in Central Islip on charges of robbery conspiracy and firearms violations, prosecutors said.
Evans pleaded not guilty and was held without bail, pending future hearings. The second defendant who was charged Thursday, Angelo Brown, 35, was too sick to be arraigned, according to his attorney, Anthony La Pinta of Hauppauge.
Eastern District federal prosecutors Grace Cucchissi and Lara Treinis Gatz said in court that Evans had held a gun on customers and employees of London Jewelers about 2 p.m. Oct. 14, 2011, while his accomplices smashed open a case containing almost a $1 million in high-end watches, including Breitlings, Cartiers and Rolexes.
The robbers fled the store with police in pursuit. The stolen goods were found that day nearby in a duffle bag stuffed in a garbage can, officials have said.
Evans left behind a red baseball cap that was found to contain traces of his DNA, the prosecutors said. He was arrested in May by U.S. marshals from the Regional Fugitive Task Force in Brooklyn -- one of six men charged so far in the robbery.
Evans' attorney, Randi Chavis, declined to comment.
Brown, who was identified as the driver of the car that took the other robbers to the jewelry store, was recently arrested by Nassau detectives and FBI agents, the prosecutors said.
The investigation into the robbery is continuing, prosecutors said.
Evans and Brown face up to life in prison if convicted of the gun charge and up to 20 years on the robbery charge, officials said.
Three accomplices have been convicted in state court and received sentences up to 25 years in prison, and a fourth accomplice is awaiting trial, officials said. The four were taken into custody shortly after the robbery by police responding to the scene, officials said.
With William Murphy
