Zachary T. Lee Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
A Roanoke man received a 35-year federal prison sentence for the actions taken against his drug supplier, including robbery, shooting, and setting the body on fire to cover up the crime. Joseph Richard Walker, aged 30, confessed to participating in a Hobbs Act Robbery and the illegal use of a firearm during a drug-related crime. Garrett Isaac Williams, another individual linked to the incident, has also confessed to related criminal charges and awaits sentencing.
Court records disclose that between December 2021 and April 17, 2023, Walker and Williams were involved in a marijuana distribution conspiracy. They obtained marijuana and marijuana wax from a supplier known as E.B., who traveled from Pennsylvania to meet them at Walker's Roanoke home. Difficulties in communication over a debt led to a fatal confrontation, resulting in Walker taking extreme measures.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. arrived in Roanoke with approximately ten pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Walker, armed with a Sig Sauer model 1911 pistol, confronted E.B., leading to a robbery and fatal shooting. Subsequently, Walker attempted to hide the crime by setting E.B.'s car on fire with E.B.'s body inside, after removing the marijuana.
The case saw collaborative efforts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and multiple local law enforcement agencies. The announcement of the sentence came from Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and other officials.
This incident is part of the larger Operation Take Back America, a national effort aiming to confront illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and tackle organized crime to protect communities. Involved in prosecuting the case are Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Coleman Adams, Kelly J. McGann, and Drew O. Inman.
