Man sentenced to 30 years for jewelry store worker kidnap, torture

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia man will spend the next 30 years behind bars for his role in the kidnapping and torture of a jewelry store worker.

35-year-old Salahudin Shaheed was sentenced Friday to 365 months in prison for his role in the attempted robbery of National Watch and Diamond Exchange, located on the 100 block of S. 8th Street in Center City.

Shaheed pleaded guilty back in October to conspiracy, kidnapping, and attempted Hobbs Act robbery.

In addition to the prison term, Shaheed was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,983.97, five years of supervised release and a $300 special assessment.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Shaheed recruited two other men, Basil Buie and Khayree Gay, to rob National Watch and Diamond Exchange. Their goal was allegedly to obtain luxury watches, jewelry, and money.

Authorities say the trio conducted surveillance on the store and its employees from a nearby parking lot. Then on April 4, 2015, they allegedly targeted an employee as she approached her car in a garage.

Shaheed and Buie, wearing masks, gloves, and sunglasses, confronted the victim, and Shaheed assaulted her with a Taser, and they kidnapped her, authorities said.

Prosecutors said the victim suffered traumatic brain injury, memory loss and partial vision loss.

The judge said that in nearly a quarter-century on the bench, he could not recall "a crime so horrific or heinous."

Last month Buie was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty. Khayree Gay also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanine Linehan and Maureen McCartney.

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Information from The Associated Press was used in this post.