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A 'Bling Ring' Lynchpin Nabs 4 Years in Prison for Burglarizing Celebs
Rachel Lee (TMZ)
21-year-old Rachel Lee, considered one of the main players in the "Bling Ring" burglary crew has been sentenced to four years in prison for her role in a thieving venture into the home of reality star Audrina Patridge, reports L.A. Now.Lee is one of the members of the group nicknamed the "Bling Ring," who stand accused of stealing about $3 million worth of jewelry, clothing and art from celebrity residences. Their alleged victims include Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox, Ashley Tisdale, and the aforementioned Patridge. The burglaries took place between September 2008 and August 2009. Some of the celeb homes were struck more than once.
Lee pleaded no contest last month on one count of first-degree residential burglary. She is thought to be the "second-in-command" of the crew, though TMZ calls her the "ringleader" and "mastermind." Four return to court next month, while one is already behind bars:
Alexis Neiers, an 18-year-old Calabasas woman who pursued fame on a cable TV reality show, has already pleaded no contest to a felony burglary at Bloom's home and is serving 180 days in Los Angeles County Jail, court records show.
The "Bling Ring" burglars, mostly teens at the time of the crimes, used magazines and the internet to pick out what items them wanted, and then cased the homes before striking.
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