Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who robbed, shot, and killed his drug supplier then later burned the body to conceal his crimes, pled guilty today in Federal Court in Roanoke.
Joseph Richard Walker, 30, pled guilty today to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. He faces up to 35 years in prison.
A second man, Garrett Isaac Williams, has been indicted on related charges and is pending trial.
“The Department of Justice has no greater mission than to hold accountable those individuals who commit violence in our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “Our strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are critical in bringing about successful prosecutions of our most violent criminals. The Department will continue to fight against gun violence through important prosecutions like this one and in conjunction with programs such as Project Safe Neighborhoods.”
“This multiyear investigation and subsequent guilty plea reflect the diligent and collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies committed to safeguarding our communities. Gun violence and drug trafficking have no place in our neighborhoods, and FBI Richmond is proud to work alongside our Safe Streets Task Force partners to hold accountable those who seek to undermine the safety and security of our citizens,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
“The Virginia State Police is committed to bringing violent offenders to justice. Our special agents work tirelessly with our federal and local partners every day to make Virginia a safer place to live,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “This judicial outcome is a victory for the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
According to court documents, beginning no later than January 2023, Mr. Walker and Mr. Williams conspired to distribute marijuana. Their source of supply was E.B., an individual who lived in Pennsylvania. E.B. often traveled from Pennsylvania to Roanoke to meet Walker and Williams to conduct marijuana sales. These sales often occurred at Walker’s Roanoke residence.
Eventually, in an effort to collect money that he was owed, E.B. inadvertently called Mr. Walker’s mother. This phone call caused Walker and Williams to set in motion a plan to end their relationship with E.B. However, instead of paying E.B. the money that was owed, they planned to order more marijuana from E.B., rob E.B. of that marijuana when he made the delivery, and in so doing, scare him from returning to Virginia.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled from Pennsylvania to Walker’s residence bringing with him approximately 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Prior to E.B.’s arrival, Walker had concealed a Sig Sauer, .45 caliber pistol on his person, intending to use it as part of the robbery. Upon E.B.’s arrival, Walker confronted E.B. about the phone call E.B. made to his mother, before ultimately shooting him twice, killing him.
To conceal his crime, Walker dragged E.B.’s body out of his residence, placed it in the truck of his car and drove to Bedford County, Virginia where he set it on fire. Prior to departing his residence in E.B.’s car, Walker took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Roanoke City Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the City of Lynchburg Police Department, and the Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office are investigating the case.
The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force also aided in the investigation and is comprised of officers from the Roanoke City Police Department, Roanoke County Police Department, City of Salem Virginia Police Department, the Vinton Police Department, and Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Coleman Adams and Kelly McGann are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.