AuctionsSep 18, 2026
7.52-Carat Unheated Paraíba Tourmaline Sells for $1.3M at Sotheby’s The top lot of the auction house’s Hong Kong jewelry sale was an Art Deco Mauboussin necklace with ruby beads, which sold for $2 million.
CrimeJan 17, 2017
Female Armed Robber Gets 10 Years in Prison
Abigail Lee Kemp, 25, was sentenced Friday in a Florida federal court after pleading guilty to multiple jewelry store robberies.
Abigail Lee Kemp, shown here in security video footage from two different stores, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for her role in robbing a half-dozen jewelry stores.
Panama City, Fla.--The woman who entered jewelry stores alone and tied up employees at gunpoint before emptying the showcases will spend the next decade behind bars.
In Florida federal court on Friday, Abigail Lee Kemp, 25, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy, interfering with commerce by robbery and using a firearm during commission of a crime, the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida said via a news release.
Also sentenced on Friday was one of Kemp’s three co-conspirators, 43-year-old Larry Bernard Gilmore, who got 32 years in prison.
The two also were ordered to pay about $1.5 million in restitution for the more than $4 million in jewelry stolen between April 2015 and January 2016, when Kemp was arrested.
Kemp’s court-appointed attorney, Michelle Daffin, declined to comment on her client’s sentencing.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kemp and Gilmore, along with 36-year-old Lewis Jones III and Gilmore’s older brother, 47-year-old Michael Bernard Gilmore, worked together to rob a total of six jewelry stores. They hit outlet mall stores in Panama City Beach, Florida; Woodstock and Dawsonville, Georgia; Bluffton, South Carolina; Sevierville, Tennessee; and Mebane, North Carolina.
After the first robbery in April 2015 in Woodstock, Jones and the Gilmore brothers started training Kemp to commit the robberies on her own, using the Gilmores’ window tinting shop in Atlanta as their training facility.
The three men reviewed the jewelry store layouts with Kemp, taught her how to handle a gun and secure store employees with zip ties and versed her on what merchandise to steal. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, they also gave her code words, picked her clothes and disguises and purchased the supplies for her, all the while selecting the dates and locations for the robberies.
While she was in the stores, Kemp would communicate with Jones and the Gilmore brothers, who were conducting surveillance outside, via an earpiece.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also noted that in December 2015, a jewelry store manager recognized Kemp when she walked into the store and asked another employee to contact police. Kemp and her co-conspirators called off the robbery and left. Five days later, they committed what would be their sixth and final robbery, in Mebane.
Kemp was arrested a few weeks later at her apartment outside Atlanta.
She entered two separate guilty pleas in the case, the first in July and the second earlier this month.
After
pleading guilty in July, she testified against Jones and the Gilmore brothers at their trial.
The sentencings for Jones and Michael Gilmore were continued to Feb. 16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The sentencings for Jones and Michael Gilmore were continued to Feb. 16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
More on Crime
The Latest
Policies & IssuesSep 18, 2026
Tariffs, Retail Crime Top of Mind at JA’s Annual Fly-In Retailers and manufacturers headed to the Capitol this week to discuss tariff exemptions for diamonds and gemstones, among other issues.
CollectionsSep 18, 2026
Nanis Transforms Its ‘Boule’ Into a Mirror Our Piece of the Week is a pair of drop earrings from the “Sway” collection featuring Nanis’ first use of mirror-polished gold.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
GradingSep 18, 2026
De Beers Introduces Faster Version of Diamond Screening Machine SynthDetect 2 can scan a full tray in less than five minutes, De Beers said, making it six times faster than its predecessors.
Weekly QuizSep 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsSep 18, 2026
Noonans To Auction Medieval Gold Seal Ring Recovered By 2 FriendsTwo metal detectorists discovered the ring, which may have belonged to English noblewoman Matilda of Lancaster, in Suffolk.
Policies & IssuesSep 17, 2026
Tariffs on India Could Increase as Russian Sanctions Bill Heads to Trump’s DeskThe bill has a provision that allows the president to raise tariffs on countries that import Russian oil and gas to as much as 100 percent.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
This Is the Winner of the 2026 Robert M. Shipley AwardThe American Gem Society presented the annual award to a former president of its board.
CollectionsSep 17, 2026
Cynthia Erivo, Zoë Chicco’s Jewelry Collab Is an Ode to TransformationThe “Chrysalis” capsule centers butterfly motifs representing growth, transformation, and the unfolding of who you are.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
Louisiana Retailer Kevin Patton Wins Lifetime Achievement AwardJewelers of Louisiana presented Patton, the third-generation president of Pattons Fine Jewelry, with the award at its annual convention.
PodcastsSep 16, 2026
Episode 9: Remembering Cindy EdelsteinTwo special guests join the podcast to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the designer advocate, mentor, and author’s untimely passing.
CollectionsSep 16, 2026
Jessica McCormack, L’Objet Collab on Homewares CollectionMcCormack brings sea-inspired motifs from her “Beaches” collection to L’Objet’s tableware, vanity pieces, and first-ever cutlery set.
IndependentsSep 16, 2026
Bromberg & Co. Names New PresidentMarlin “Brian” Hood, who has been with the store for 20 years, will succeed Ricky Bromberg, who died earlier this month.
MajorsSep 16, 2026
Midas Chain Releases ‘House of Midas’ Bridal CatalogThe new bridal catalog features the latest jewelry collections and designs from timeless classics to modern silhouettes.
EditorsSep 15, 2026
2026 Emmys Jewelry: An Either/Or Proposition Stars wore either a necklace or earrings at 78th Primetime Emmy Awards but rarely both, Natalie Francisco notes.
ColumnistsSep 15, 2026
The Levels Your Website Must Clear Before AI Recommends YouJennifer Shaheen compares this new era of AI-powered SEO to a video game: your website must clear one level before advancing to the next.
IndependentsSep 15, 2026
Armadani Launches Retail Support Program for Holiday SeasonThe program highlights “Made in Italy” fine jewelry with digital merchandising, sales education, and local marketing support.
EditorsSep 15, 2026
Q&A: Signet Jewelers’ Joan Hilson on Diamond Demand, the HolidaysHilson, Signet’s chief operating and financial officer, discussed Q2, resurgent natural diamond demand, and why Blue Nile is a standout.
ColumnistsSep 14, 2026
Sherry Smith: Stop Waiting for December to Save Your ChristmasThe stores that have a great December are the ones that made good decisions in August, September, and October, Sherry Smith writes.
AuctionsSep 14, 2026
22 Carats of ‘Sunshine’ Are Up for AuctionThe 22.09-carat fancy yellow “Pragnell Kimberley Sunshine Diamond” is part of the fall jewelry sale at Heritage Auctions.
IndependentsSep 14, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers to Unveil Photography Exhibition“Adornos: Jewelry, Memory & What We Pass Down” honors the jewelry’s importance to New York City’s Latine communities.
SourcingSep 14, 2026
Gemfields Sells All Lots at First Emerald Auction in 9 MonthsThe company’s managing director of sales said the results demonstrate “continued strong demand for commercial-quality emeralds.”
SourcingSep 14, 2026
Diamonds Do Good Pledges Support for Eye Care ProgramThe nonprofit awarded a grant to the Gift of Sight initiative spearheaded by South African musician Black Coffee.
CollectionsSep 11, 2026
A Sapphire ‘Stardust’ Ring From Greenwich St. Jewelers The Latine-owned New York jeweler is marking two milestones this year: its 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
MajorsSep 11, 2026
The Wishing Place by JTV OpensThe jewelry retail broadcast network has sponsored a new space for Make-A-Wish East Tennessee on its campus in Knoxville.
Events & AwardsSep 11, 2026
The Edge Awards Scholarships to 2 Young Jewelry ProfessionalsThe recipients were recognized at the 24 Karat Club of the Southeastern United States’ annual banquet.
