Two men from Atlanta have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the armed robbery of a jewelry store in Greenville, South Carolina. Tony Nico Clark, aged 35, received a nine-year sentence, while Dedrek Jaquon Hale, aged 30, was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years.
The robbery took place on May 17, 2023. According to evidence presented during the investigation, three men carried out the heist at a Greenville jewelry store. Clark entered the store first without wearing a mask and held the door open for two masked accomplices who entered brandishing firearms. They ordered employees and customers to lie on the floor.
During the robbery, one unidentified masked man used a hammer to break display cases while Hale used his gun to smash glass cases. Surveillance footage captured them pointing guns at people as they grabbed jewelry from broken displays. Meanwhile, Clark monitored time before they fled in a waiting vehicle back to Atlanta.
Law enforcement linked Clark and Hale to the crime through DNA and other physical evidence. Both were arrested in October 2024 and pleaded guilty in March this year to charges of robbery and conspiracy affecting interstate commerce as well as using firearms during a violent crime.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Clark to 110 months of imprisonment and Hale to 115 months. Both sentences include five-year terms of court-ordered supervision following their release since there is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, each defendant must pay restitution exceeding $140,000.
The FBI’s Columbia field office led the investigation with support from local authorities including the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is handling prosecution duties for this case.
