Two men, one from South Carolina and the other from Virginia, were recently sentenced to 51 months in prison for breaking into a private Albemarle County, Virginia, home in October 2021 while carrying firearms.
Traevon Gray, 21, and Damon Williams, 23, were both sentenced following their guilty pleas to one count of Hobbs Act robbery each in November 2022, according to a March 7 U.S. Department of Justice news release.
“The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool possible to address violent crime in our communities,” U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in the release. “This outcome proves that those individuals who use firearms to harm others will be held accountable in federal court.”
Moroever, in accordance with court records, Gray and Williams entered the Albemarle County home through a backdoor while armed with weapons, the release reported. After dragging the victim from his upstairs bedroom into the kitchen, they told him to lie face-down on the floor.
The intruders wrapped the victim's hands with tape, struck him in the face and forced him into the kitchen pantry after stealing about two pounds of marijuana, several thousand dollars, a weapon, drug paraphernalia and other valuables, according to the release.
Both men fled the scene of the crime and eventually arrived in Spartanburg, S.C., where they split the loot, the release reported.
The case was looked into by the Albemarle County Police Department and the FBI's Safe Streets Task Unit in Richmond, according to the release. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Carlton on behalf of the government.
“Addressing violent crime is a priority for the FBI,” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Division Stanley M. Meador said in the release. “These sentencings reflect the bureau’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold those responsible accountable.”
