IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeDec 05, 2017
Utah Jeweler Sentenced in Money Laundering Case
Justin Christopher of now-closed JC’s Custom Jewelry pleaded guilty back in August and was sentenced last week.
Salt Lake City--A Utah jeweler was sentenced in federal court last week after pleading guilty to a charge of money laundering.
Justin Christopher, 28, was the owner of the now-closed JC’s Custom Jewelry in Salt Lake City, where his father, 52-year-old Richard Christopher, also worked.
According to court documents, in April 2014, Justin Christopher signed his name as the purchaser and owner of a 2005 Lamborghini Gallardo at Ararat Auto, despite knowing the money used to buy the car came from selling marijuana. The car actually was sold to Danny Kiko Gallegos for a total cost of $102,155.55. Christopher’s name, however, was put on the car’s title, and Ararat Auto was told that the two men were brothers in order to conduct the transaction.
According to a recent news report from The Salt Lake Tribune, Gallegos had been under investigation for alleged drug trafficking and his financial activities.
Though he had no known source of income, he had large amounts of cash coming in from selling drugs, and opted to lauder money through Christopher “because he is a jeweler and jewelers can substantiate large assets and cash,” according to an affidavit. Gallegos also allegedly had robbed a number of jewelry stores and sold the purchased goods to Christopher.
Justin Christopher pleaded guilty in August to one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the Lamborghini sale. As a part of the plea bargain, a charge of aiding and abetting money laundering was dropped.
He was sentenced Nov. 30 by U.S. District Judge Dee Benson to time served and placed on supervised release for 36 months. He also has to pay a fine of $2,500.
During the sentencing, Justin Christopher’s attorney said in court that three area men who disappeared more than three years ago--one of whom was Gallegos--were killed by Richard Christopher, the Tribune reported.
Defense attorney Loni De Land said the elder Christopher allegedly shot and killed Gallegos, Braden Parker Emerson and Levi Joseph Collins, who were last seen in October 2014.
According to what De Land said in court, Justin wanted to stop laundering money, but Gallegos insisted that he continue. The two men were arguing in the jewelry store when Richard walked up and fatally shot Gallegos in the head. He then went on to shoot and kill Emerson and Collins, according to the news story.
The bodies of the three
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
men reportedly were incinerated and then disposed of in a canyon.
Justin Christopher had an immunity agreement as part of the plea deal, protecting him from prosecution in the deaths.
The Tribune also reported that Richard Christopher pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced in October 2015 to more than three years in prison. He is in a halfway house currently, where he is expected to complete his sentence at the end of January.
The Salt Lake City Police Department said no charges had yet been filed in the case of the three men who disappeared and noted that it still is under investigation.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Dec. 6, 2017, to reflect a response from the Salt Lake City Police Department sent post-publication.
Justin Christopher had an immunity agreement as part of the plea deal, protecting him from prosecution in the deaths.
The Tribune also reported that Richard Christopher pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced in October 2015 to more than three years in prison. He is in a halfway house currently, where he is expected to complete his sentence at the end of January.
The Salt Lake City Police Department said no charges had yet been filed in the case of the three men who disappeared and noted that it still is under investigation.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Dec. 6, 2017, to reflect a response from the Salt Lake City Police Department sent post-publication.
More on Crime
The Latest
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
