Second suspect in armed robbery at Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s sentenced

Conelius E. Clayton Jr., 20, was sentenced in federal court during July 7 proceedings.

A second suspect involved in an August 2013 armed robbery of the Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s in western New Kent has been sentenced in federal court.

Cornelius Clayton Jr., 20, of the 600 block of Fritz Street, Henrico, received a 34-year sentence in federal prison during July 7 proceedings in the United States District Court of Eastern Virginia in Richmond. Clayton accepted the term as part of a plea deal.

Last Aug. 26, two suspects entered the Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s shortly before 3 a.m. wearing masks and carrying firearms. Clayton and the other suspect, Robert James Priester, 16, of the 2200 block of Kingsbrook Drive, Henrico, were identified as the individuals who entered the store.

According to a summary of evidence, Priester robbed the cash register while Clayton forced employees to the back of the store and into the manager’s office. The duo got away with an unspecified amount of cash before meeting up with two other alleged suspects, London Shi-Anne Cotman, 20, of the 200 block of N. Airport Drive, Highland Springs, and Shatik U. Jackson, 20, of the 300 block of Shetland Court, Henrico.

During investigation, detectives received a warrant to track cell phone information from the early morning robbery in an effort to compare any of the numbers to similar happenings in the area that had recently occurred. Numbers discovered were a match, tracing back to Priester and the phone of Cotman’s grandmother. The suspects were subsequently monitored before being arrested in Dinwiddie County when allegedly trying to commit another burglary.

The robbery of the Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s was just one of many conducted by the defendants, who admitted robbing several other fast food restaurants in the areas of Richmond, Chesterfield, Petersburg, and Dinwiddie. Clayton, Cotman, and Jackson were indicted in federal court on multiple charges, while Priester received indictments from the aforementioned localities, including New Kent.

Clayton is the second of the four suspects to receive his sentence, but is the first to receive formal sentencing. In March 10 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings, Priester accepted a plea deal that calls for a three-year term in the juvenile justice center. New Kent’s Commonwealth Attorney Linwood Gregory said Priester is expected to take plea deals in the other jurisdictions, rounding out to a total of 12-18 years in prison.

Cotman, the alleged getaway driver, also accepted a plea deal in federal court proceedings. However, no formal sentence has been received. Cotman’s and Priester’s terms of incarceration will be determined after the two agree to testify against Jackson as part of the plea deal. Jackson, who is considered the mastermind of the robbery, has an October trial date scheduled in federal court.