Man Held in Robberies May Be Linked to Rolex Thefts : Crime: The suspect is charged with holding up two attorneys. Police also arrested a jeweler and confiscated several of the pricey watches.

A man arrested by Torrance detectives on suspicion of holding up two defense attorneys may be linked to a series of Rolex watch robberies throughout the county, police said Thursday.

Police said they have also arrested a Los Angeles jeweler in connection with the case and confiscated 91 watches from his store, including 11 Rolexes.

Sherman Newman, 25, of Los Angeles was taken into custody Sept. 14 after his fingerprints were found in the Torrance office of defense attorney John Cheroske, who had been robbed at gunpoint last week by a man claiming to be a prospective client.

Newman, who was arraigned Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to two robbery counts, one count of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a firearm and two counts of being an ex-convict with a gun. He was ordered held without bail.

On Wednesday, Torrance detectives arrested a second man, Farhad Keshmiri, 25, of Los Angeles on suspicion of receiving stolen property, Sgt. Dennis Addington said. Cheroske’s $12,000 Rolex watch was recovered in Keshmiri’s downtown Los Angeles jewelry store, called Jewelry 2000, Addington said.

Police also confiscated 10 other Rolex watches, several of which showed signs of serial number tampering, and about 80 other watches. In addition, detectives took several items of gold jewelry in an effort to match them to other robbery cases, Addington said.

Keshmiri was released on $2,500 bail, Addington said.

While police were still investigating whether Keshmiri or his store are tied to the series of Rolex robberies, Addington said they believe that Newman is involved.

“There have been so many in Los Angeles County that we, of course, can’t tie every one of them together, but I think there is a link with some other cases,” Addington said.

The first robbery Newman has been charged with committing took place in the Marina del Rey area Sept. 5, Deputy Dist. Atty. Julie Sulman said.

Encino attorney David Kenner, 48, told police that he received a call from a man who asked for Kenner’s assistance in turning himself in to police on an outstanding warrant.

Kenner agreed to meet the man in the parking lot of the Black Whale restaurant in the 3000 block of Washington Boulevard.

Shortly after Kenner arrived, a man rode up on a red motorcycle, wearing a helmet, leather gloves and a thick leather jacket.

The man got into Kenner’s car and immediately pulled a gun and a pair of handcuffs from his pockets, Sulman said.

After the man had taken Kenner’s $20,000 Rolex, a ring and a bracelet, he demanded that Kenner handcuff himself to the steering wheel, Sulman said. Kenner refused and, when the man was distracted by a car pulling into the parking lot, he rolled out the driver’s door and began to run.

Sulman said Kenner looked back and saw the man pull the gun’s trigger several times. It failed to fire.

As another car came into the lot, the man ran from the car, jumped back on his motorcycle and sped off, Sulman said.

Although Kenner told police that he could not get a good look at the man because of the helmet, he did say the man had a scar below his right eye.

A week later, on Sept. 12, a man went to Cheroske’s office, saying he wanted the attorney present when he turned himself in to police on an outstanding warrant. During a private conference, however, he pulled a gun on Cheroske, Sulman said.

The man, who had identified himself as Rodney Abbott, pulled a washcloth from his pocket, shoved it into Cheroske’s mouth and used a necktie to gag him.

The man took Cheroske’s gold Rolex, gold necklace, a pinkie ring, a gold money clip and $600 cash, Sulman said.

After ransacking the office, the man nonchalantly left the office, walking past several people on his way out. Cheroske was not harmed during the robbery.

Sulman said Cheroske told police that the man had a scar below his right eye.

Investigators say they found Newman’s fingerprint on a clipboard where he had signed in when first entering the office.

When Newman was arrested on Sept. 14, he was wearing two gold chains, Sulman said. Cheroske later identified one of the necklaces as the one taken from him during the robbery.