NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Nine people arrested in connection to a series of violent grocery store robberies in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach have been indicted on federal charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday the suspects charged worked in at least six-member teams and conducted armed robberies at Food Lion stores on Sept. 25 in Virginia Beach, and in Chesapeake on Sept. 29.
Prosecutors said the group also robbed a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach on Oct. 3, in which the store manager was shot.
The teams included lookouts inside and outside the stores, getaway drivers and two gunmen. They allegedly used police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity and communicated through earpieces.
Prosecutors said the inside lookout would find the store manager, start the robbery and communicate to the rest of the group where the manager was located.
The gunmen in each robbery demanded the managers open the store’s safe. One of the gunmen shot the store manager during the Harris Teeter robbery, according to prosecutors.
He wasn’t seriously hurt, but in that robbery investigators were fortunate to capture 22-year-old Brennan Smith known as “DUB” on camera. They had a good solid picture of someone involved, and that ended up being the last robbery before the case may have been apparently solved.
All nine suspects are charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery. Additional charges against the suspects were listed in an indictment.
| Name, Age | Hometown | Charges |
Devonta Doyle, aka “Vontay”, 22 | Virginia Beach | Three counts of robbery; Three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence; Felon in possession of a firearm |
Cato M. Battle, 18 | Virginia Beach | Two counts of robbery; Two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Willey E. Brooks, Jr., aka “Wally”, 26 | Chesapeake | Two counts of robbery; Two counts of using a firearm during a crime of Violence |
Darrius A. Heuser-Whitaker, 19 | Virginia Beach | Two counts of robbery; Two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Monica Perkins, 29 | Norfolk | Robbery |
Brennan K. Smith, aka “Dub”, 22 | Virginia Beach | Robbery; Using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Brandon C. Tisdale, aka “Dot, GM”, 20 | Virginia Beach | Three counts of robbery; Three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Trevor L. Tisdale, aka “T”, 24 | Virginia Beach | Two counts of robbery; Two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Keonte K. Yorkshire, aka “Tae”, 21 | Virginia Beach | Three counts of robbery; Three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence |
Several of the suspects could face between 60 years and life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.
10 On Your Side’s Andy Fox will have more coverage later tonight.