A jeweler from the U.S. has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting to stealing and defrauding customers of jewelry, watches, and cash. Douglas Wayne Gamble, 58, operated Timeless Jewelers in West Salem, Oregon, which closed suddenly in October 2022. He pleaded guilty to 21 counts of theft and aggravated theft, as well as one count of first-degree criminal mistreatment for stealing from a family member.
Gamble was ordered to pay over $500,000 in restitution to his victims, many of whom were over 65 years old and lost valuable family heirlooms. Between 2018 and 2022, he engaged in multiple schemes to defraud his clients, including selling lab-grown stones as natural diamonds and failing to return items for repairs. He surrendered to police without incident last September.
