A prison inmate who orchestrated two violent armed robberies at jewelry stores in Gwinnett County has been convicted of the crime.

Deuntria Lyons was found guilty on all 13 counts this week in the robberies of Barrons and Tara Fine Jewelry stories even though he was some 200 miles away at the time.

Gwinnett Police investigators say Lyons orchestrated the heists from his cell at Smith State Prison last year using a contraband cell phone.

“He sent text messages on where he wanted these guys to be, where to meet up, what he wanted them to do, and then once they split up the merchandise after the armed robbery, he would have people that he trusted… get rid of the stuff,” says lead detective David Brucz.

Lyons, who was already in jail for a series of armed robberies in Fulton County from 2007, admitted to Brucz it was not his first cell phone in prison.

“He basically stated that he’s had numerous cell phones… it’s easy to get cell phones in prison,” he says.

Brucz says at the time of the interview, Lyons was actually wearing a cell phone watch.

A judge sentenced Lyons to six consecutive life terms without parole plus an additional 20 years without parole for the Gwinnnett crimes.

Of the remaining five people charged in the jewelry store heists, three others have pleaded guilty and two still face trial. Police believe as many as 15 may have been involved, but the others remain at large.