Five men affiliated with the United Blood Nation gang have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a series of armed robberies of convenience stores in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
According to court documents, on January 14, 2022, Harold Edward Spencer III, 34, of Virginia Beach, and Kareem Doyle Ross, 34, of Newport News, began a two-month robbery spree when they robbed a Citgo Mini Mart in Virginia Beach.
Spencer and Ross entered the store and pointed firearms at employees, taking money, lottery tickets, and cigarettes. Later that day, while still armed, Spencer and Ross robbed a Circle D Food Mart in Virginia Beach. During the robbery, Spencer fired his handgun twice at a fleeing customer.
On February 7, 2022, Spencer, Ross, and a third individual robbed an Express Food Mart in Norfolk. On February 19, 2022, Spencer, Ross, and Marvin Eugene Lockhart Jr., 34, of Virginia Beach, robbed a Crown Gas Station in Virginia Beach.
During both robberies, all of the conspirators pointed firearms at employees and customers and stole money and cigarettes. During the Express Food Mart robbery, the men also took lottery tickets and cigars.
On March 5, 2022, Spencer, Ross, and Roshaun Devon Griffin, 36, of Virginia Beach, robbed an Arrowhead Food Mart in Virginia Beach, again taking money, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. During the robbery, Spencer and Ross pointed firearms at an employee.
On March 12, 2022, Spencer, Ross, and Lockhart robbed a Jr. Market in Norfolk, taking money and lottery tickets. During the robbery, all three pointed firearms at an employee.
On March 18, 2022, Ross, Spencer, Lockhart, Griffin, and Jon Demetrious Jacques Morgan, 34, of Portsmouth, attempted to rob a Tiger Mart in Virginia Beach. During the attempted robbery, Ross, Lockhart, Griffin, and Morgan approached the Tiger Mart as a group while Spencer remained in a vehicle nearby as a getaway driver.
Ross, Lockhart, Griffin, and Morgan aborted the robbery and ran back to the getaway vehicle. The group then attempted to flee from the police. As they attempted to escape, the conspirators threw from the car the firearms they had possessed during the robbery.
Virginia Beach Police used spike strips to disable the vehicle, and all five conspirators were arrested.
On October 4, 2022, Griffin pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On June 9, 2023, Griffin was sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison.
On October 14, 2022, Ross pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On June 13, 2023, Ross was sentenced to 27 years and one month in prison.
On December 13, 2022, Spencer and Morgan were convicted at trial.
Spencer and Morgan were convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Spencer was also convicted of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On November 7, 2023, Morgan was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison, and Spencer was sentenced to 42 years and three months in prison.
On October 6, 2022, Lockhart pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Lockhart, who left a family member’s birthday party to commit one of the armed robberies, was sentenced last week to 22 years and one month in prison.
