Jessy James, father get prison for string of heists near Las Vegas

A Las Vegas father-and-son team convicted of stealing nearly $10,000 during eight armed robberies last year were sentenced to federal prison Friday.

Jessy James, 24, will spend two years in prison, while his father, 53-year-old Jeffrey James, a convicted bank robber, will serve 15 years, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Both men pleaded guilty to the robberies in April.

The duo robbed two banks and six smoke shops in Clark County over the course of a month beginning in January 2017, the Las Vegas Sun reported. Authorities said no one was injured, but the Jameses stole about $10,000 and a supply of Marlboro cigarettes.

Court documents obtained by the Review-Journal describe the Jameses holding up employees with BB-gun revolvers and a replica assault rifle. The younger James sometimes acted as a lookout while in other robberies his father served as the getaway driver.

While robbing $4,000 from one credit union in late January 2017, the younger James threatened to shoot a teller, according to the Review-Journal. They stole about $4,200 from a second credit union during their final robbery on Feb. 16, 2017, KTNV-TV reported.

During a holdup at a smoke shop earlier that February, the pair demanded cash, but walked away with only Marlboro cigarettes, the Review-Journal reported.

The investigation brought in several law enforcement entities, including the Henderson police, Las Vegas Metro police and the FBI.

Surveillance video and witness descriptions helped police track the pair to a Walmart parking lot in Henderson, where they were arrested in late February 2017, the Sun reported. Their pockets held cash from the credit unions and police “recovered further evidence.”

When the Jameses are released, they’ll remain under supervision for five years, officials said.