Juvenile in McDonald’s robberies to serve three years in New Kent, 18 overall

A juvenile involved in several armed robberies at fast food restaurants around central Virginia, including the McDonald’s in New Kent, will serve three years in the state’s juvenile justice system.

Robert James Priester, 17, formerly of the 200 block of Bartee Road, Richmond received the formal sentence during Oct. 20 proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Priester accepted a plea deal during a March 10 hearing.

On Aug. 26, 2013, Priester and another defendant, Cornelius Clayton Jr., entered the Bottoms Bridge McDonald’s just before 3 a.m. The two escaped with more than $5,000 in cash before joining up with other co-defendants London Shi-anne Cotman and Shatik Jackson outside to flee the scene. After a detailed investigation and surveillance at fast food restaurants in the Richmond area, all four were apprehended.

Priester’s formal sentence comes after a six-month delay due to his earlier plea agreement. That document indicated Priester would testify against Clayton, Cotman, and Jackson if necessary. Clayton received a 34-year sentence this past July, while Cotman and Jackson entered plea deals during their federal trials earlier this month.

Priester’s three-year term will run concurrently with sentences issued by Henrico, Chesterfield, and Petersburg. In addition to his sentence in the juvenile justice system, he received an additional 15 years from the other jurisdictions, giving him a total sentence of 18 years to serve.

After he completes the three-year sentence in the juvenile system, he is to be transferred to an adult facility to serve out the remaining 15 years. He will also have to pay $1,470 in restitution, which is one-fourth of the amount taken from the McDonald’s restaurant in New Kent.

After Priester apologized to the court for his behavior, Judge Thomas B. Hoover scolded the defendant for his actions.

“You and your gang terrorized the greater Richmond area,” said Hoover, staring directly at Priester. “How would you feel if you were at the wrong end of a gun with the barrel pointing at you, not knowing if you were going to live for one more second?

“You’re not a good person,” continued the judge. “The police knew you weren’t going to quit robbing restaurants and that’s how you got caught. I’m not going to pat you on your back or try to say you’re a good person, because you’re not.”

Priester will serve a mandatory three-year sentence on using a firearm to commit a felony. All 20 years on one robbery charge were suspended.

In other Monday circuit court proceedings:

–Emily Marie Bowles, 23, of the 13000 block of John Tyler Highway, Charles City, accepted a plea deal to one amended charge of misdemeanor petty larceny (originally grand larceny) and one misdemeanor charge of distribution of drug paraphernalia. One charge of possession of heroin was dropped and one charge of misdemeanor failing to obey a court order were dismissed. Last Dec. 24, Bowles admitted she and a co-defendant, Courtney Lee Stephenson, entered the Food Lion in Providence Forge and shoplifted numerous items. Under the agreement, Bowles received 45 days out of a possible 12 months in jail on the petty larceny charge while all 12 months on the distribution of paraphernalia charge were suspended.

–Shauna Evelyn Chapman, 27, of the 10000 block of Racheal Diann Drive, Quinton, accepted a plea deal to two counts of uttering a check belonging to April Brundage. Chapman admitted that she and an alleged co-conspirator, Christopher Delaney, cashed checks to pay for gas and other items from Stewart’s Grocery on two separate dates this past January. Under the agreement, she received five years in jail on each charge, but will serve one year active time. Delaney’s case returns to court on Nov. 17.

–Chancy Wayne Cummings, 21, of the 9400 block of Sherwood Drive, Quinton, accepted a plea agreement and entered guilty pleas to one amended charge of simple possession (originally distribution with intent to manufacture). In a summary of evidence, Cummings offered a confidential informant some of his prescribed medication for money on Feb. 12. Under the agreement, no formal finding will be rendered for two years and Cummings is placed on first offender status. If he violates the terms of that status, he will receive a minimum year and a half in jail.

–Bryan Scott Jordan, 27, of the 100 block of Black Gum Road, West Point, accepted a plea agreement to one count of petty larceny (third offense) from the Surf and Turf sporting goods store in the Eltham part of New Kent where he was employed. In a summary of evidence, the owner of the business returned from a vacation on May 3 to find funds missing from a safe. Upon watching surveillance footage, Jordan was seen taking $160 and not accounting in the record books for removing the cash. Under the agreement, Jordan received a five-year sentence, with all but 45 days suspended.

–Christine Ann McKinney, 33, of Gloucester, accepted a plea deal to amended charges for two counts of distribution of an imitation controlled substance (originally distribution of cocaine) and one charge of conspiracy to distribute an imitation controlled substance (originally conspiracy to distribute of cocaine). In a summary of evidence, McKinney was a target of the Twin Rivers Task Force and sold the substance to a confidential informant last June. Under the agreement, she was sentenced to five years on each of the charges, but will serve an active term of two months and pay $600 in restitution.

–Steve Lorenzo Olvis, 25, of the 3700 block of North Avenue, Richmond, accepted a plea deal and entered an Alford plea of guilty to one charge each of forgery and uttering. One charge of obtaining money under false pretenses was dropped. While maintaining his innocence, evidence stipulated Olvis cashed checks belonging to Express Employment Professionals at Lanexa Truck plaza and received funds. A notification by C&F Bank advised owners of the facility that the checks had been forged. Under the agreement, he received 10 years on each charge, and will serve a six month sentence on the forgery charge. He must also pay $632.25 in restitution.

–Nicholas David Schweickert, 20, of the 4000 block of Virginia Rail Drive, Providence Forge, accepted a plea deal to an amended charge of misdemeanor distribution of marijuana (originally felony distribution). Last March 4, New Kent sheriff’s deputies searched a vehicle of another man after a traffic stop and discovered a bag containing the substance. The man denied the bag his and said it belonged to Schweickert. Authorities then contacted the defendant who confessed and surrendered without incident. He received a 12-month jail sentence with all time suspended.

— Victor George Whitesides, 20, of the 7000 block of Chestnut Drive, New Kent, received a formal sentence of one year to serve on DUI (third offense). Whitesides entered the guilty plea during an Aug. 11 court hearing and admitted to the crime. He will also serve a one-month jail sentence for driving with a revoked license and pay a total of $1,500 in fines.