Man Who Swallowed $770,000 Tiffany Earrings to Represent Himself at Trial

Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, a 33-year-old convicted felon from Texas, plans to represent himself at trial in an Orlando burglary case after swallowing $770,000 in stolen Tiffany diamond earrings last spring.

Gilder drew national attention when he allegedly posed as an assistant to an Orlando Magic player at a Tiffany and Co. store in an Orlando mall. Store staff escorted him to a VIP room, where he grabbed jewelry displayed before him and fled. He struggled with a sliding glass door before shoving an employee aside to escape.

Police apprehended Gilder in Florida's panhandle. Rather than surrender the two sets of diamond earrings, valued at roughly $770,000, he swallowed them. Officers took him to a hospital, where X-rays showed the items in his body. The earrings emerged after he passed them.

Gilder has rejected a plea deal from prosecutors. In a recent court appearance, a judge approved his request to waive counsel and proceed pro se. His court-appointed attorney will remain available for consultation when the trial begins next month in Orlando.

Gilder has remained in jail since his arrest last year. As a habitual offender, he faces up to 30 years for robbery with a 15-year mandatory minimum, or life for grand theft with a 30-year mandatory minimum if convicted, according to The Smoking Gun.