RALEIGH – A Goldsboro man was sentenced on Monday to 258 months in prison for armed robbery.
Fremandeus Connell Williams, 45, pled guilty on Dec. 20, 2024 to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Wilson Police Department (WPD) responded to a call of a robbery at the Hot Spot Internet Café Sweepstakes on Ward Boulevard in Wilson on Dec. 7, 2021.
The investigation revealed that Williams entered the establishment wearing a surgical mask and appeared to play a game machine.
As a Hot Spot employee unlocked the office door to assist a customer in cashing out, Williams walked up behind the employee, placed the barrel of a firearm against the back of her head, and pushed her to the ground.
Williams then threatened the employee and said, “where’s the money and you better not lie, or I’ll kill you.”
Williams stole $7,039 in cash from the register and counter drawers while the employee remained in the back corner of the office.
The incident was captured on video surveillance. Williams, a known member of the United Blood Nation gang, was arrested a few days later on Dec. 10, 2021.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing.
Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.
The WPD, Goldsboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-87-D-RJ-1.
