Feds assume prosecution of McDonald’s robbery suspects

(l to r) Cornelius Clayton Jr., London Shi-Anne Cotman, and Shatik Jackson have all been federally indicted on multiple counts in relation to the Aug. 26 burglary of the Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s, as well as other robberies at neighboring jurisdictions.

Federal authorities have taken over prosecution of the three adults charged in connection with the Aug. 26 armed robbery at the McDonald’s restaurant on Route 60 (2138 Pocahontas Trail) near Bottoms Bridge in New Kent County.

Convening Tuesday in Richmond, a federal grand jury indicted Shatik U. Jackson, 19, of the 300 block of Shetland Court, Henrico; London Shi-Anne Cotman, 19, of the 300 block of North Airport Drive, Henrico; and Cornelius Clayton Jr., 19, of the 600 block of Fritz Street, Highland Springs.

New Kent commonwealth’s attorney Linwood Gregory said local charges against the trio have been dropped, but added that the federal charges the suspects now face are similar to those lodged on the local level. In New Kent, all three suspects were charged with four counts each of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery plus three counts each of abduction. Clayton also faced three counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Federal authorities, however, are not assuming custody of a fourth suspect in the New Kent robbery, identified only as a 16-year-old juvenile. Gregory said today (Wednesday) his office plans to seek indictments against the juvenile before a New Kent Circuit Court grand jury on Nov. 18.

The three adults, allegedly part of a larger robbery gang, had multiple charges in connection with other fast food restaurant robberies pending in several jurisdictions including Richmond, Chesterfield, Petersburg, and Dinwiddie. Federal authorities, who assisted local law enforcement from the beginning with the investigation, now assume those cases as well.

“There were so many jurisdictions involved that we called for a meeting with federal prosecutors, presented [the cases] to them, and they decided to take [the cases],” Gregory said. “This makes the process a consolidated process,” he said.

“Officers testifying go to one court, one time instead of multiple courts, multiple times. Also, there wouldn’t be multiple hearings involved.”

Gregory added that penalties imposed at the federal level, especially for use of a firearm in a crime, are much stiffer than those issued at the state or local level. The trio along with the juvenile allegedly struck the New Kent McDonald’s around 3 a.m. on Aug. 26. Two of the suspects entered the restaurant, demanded money at gunpoint from the three employees on duty, and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. No customers were inside at the time. No shots were fired, and no injuries were reported.

The three adults have been jailed without bond since their arrests on Sept. 27.