Goldsboro man sentenced to over two decades for armed robbery

A Goldsboro man, Fremandeus Connell Williams, was sentenced to 258 months in prison for armed robbery. Williams, 45, had pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on December 20, 2024.

Court documents reveal that the Wilson Police Department responded to a robbery at the Hot Spot Internet Café Sweepstakes on Ward Boulevard in Wilson on December 7, 2021. During the incident, Williams entered the café wearing a surgical mask and initially appeared to play a game machine. As an employee unlocked the office door to assist a customer, Williams approached her from behind with a firearm and forced her to the ground. He threatened her by saying, “where’s the money and you better not lie, or I’ll kill you.” He stole $7,039 in cash from the register and counter drawers while the employee stayed in the corner of the office. The robbery was recorded on video surveillance. Williams was identified as a member of the United Blood Nation gang and was arrested shortly after on December 10, 2021.

The conviction is part of the Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative. This plan involves collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to address major drivers of violent crime through strategic enforcement and intelligence-led policing.

Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentencing after it was handed down by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The investigation involved efforts from the Wilson Police Department, Goldsboro Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted this case.

For more information related to court documents and proceedings, one can visit the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or search PACER using Case No. 5:23-CR-87-D-RJ-1.