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Five plead guilty to violent grocery store robberies in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach

Five of the nine people indicted in a spree of grocery store robberies have pleaded guilty. They face minimum sentences ranging from 7 to 17 years.

NORFOLK, Va. — Five Hampton Roads-area individuals pleaded guilty this week to their role in a series of violent grocery store robberies in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.

Court documents said the individuals worked in at least six-member teams and robbed a Food Lion in Chesapeake on September 25, a Food Lion in Virginia Beach on September 29, and a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach on October 3.

RELATED: Nine indicted for violent grocery store robbery sprees in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach

The teams included inside and outside look-outs, getaway drivers, and two gunmen. The criminals would use police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity, encrypted applications, and earpieces to communicate with one another.

RELATED: Prosecutors say Chesapeake mother set fire to home with 5 children inside

Court documents said the inside look-out would find the grocery store manager, initiate the robbery, and communicate the position of the manager to masked members of the group who came into the stores with firearms. At each robbery the gunmen demanded the managers open the grocery store safe. 

In the final robbery at a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach, one of the gunmen shot the store manager. 

A total of nine people were indicted for the robberies.

Here is a list of the individuals who have pleaded guilty this week, what they pleaded guilty to, and their minimum and minimum sentence time:

  • Cato M. Battle, 18, from Virginia Beach; Conspiracy; Robbery; Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Mandatory Minimum 7 years Maximum Life
  • Willey E. Brooks, Jr., aka “Wally”, 26, of Chesapeake; Conspiracy; 2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Mandatory Minimum 14 years Maximum Life
  • Monica Perkins, 29, of Norfolk; Conspiracy; Robbery; Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Mandatory Minimum 7 years Maximum Life
  • Brandon C. Tisdale, aka “Dot, GM”, 20, of Virginia Beach; Conspiracy; 2 Counts of Robbery;  2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Mandatory Minimum 17 years; Maximum Life
  • Trevor L. Tisdale, aka “T”, 24, of Virginia Beach; Conspiracy; 2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Mandatory Minimum 14 years Maximum Life

A sixth suspect, 21-year-old Keonte K. Yorkshire, aka Tae of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty to his role in the crime spree on February 5. He faces a mandatory sentence of 17 years and a maximum sentence of life.

RELATED: Man pleads guilty to role in grocery store robbery spree

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.

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