Five armed gang members get decades for lottery ticket crime spree

A spree of brazen convenience store robberies across Virginia has ended with five men affiliated with the United Blood Nation gang behind bars. What began as a series of armed heists targeting cash registers, lottery tickets, and cigarettes escalated into a violent crime wave that left employees and customers shaken.

The group's recklessness culminated in a failed robbery attempt, a dramatic police chase, and the men throwing firearms out of a getaway car in a desperate attempt to escape. After months of investigation and a lengthy legal battle, justice has caught up with the gang members, with the final sentences now handed down.

The crime spree

The two-month robbery spree started on January 14, 2022. On that day, Harold Edward Spencer III, 34, and Kareem Doyle Ross, 34, robbed a Citgo Mini Mart located in Virginia Beach. Authorities said the duo entered the store and pointed guns at the employees before taking money, cigarettes, and Virginia Lottery scratch-off tickets.

On that same day, Spencer and Ross robbed a Circle D Food Mart located in Virginia Beach while they were still armed. During this robbery, officials said Spencer fired his handgun twice at a customer who was trying to flee the store.

The crime spree continued on February 7, 2022, when Spencer, Ross, and a third individual robbed an Express Food Mart located in Norfolk. Spencer and Ross, along with Marvin Eugene Lockhart, Jr., 34, also robbed a Crown Gas Station located in Virginia Beach on February 19, 2022. During both of these robberies, all of the suspects pointed guns at both employees and customers while stealing money and cigarettes. The men also took lottery tickets and cigars during the Express Food Mart robbery.

The men were successful in robbing two more stores:

• Arrowhead Food Mart located in Virginia Beach – This incident took place on March 5, 2022, when Spencer, Ross, and Roshaun Devon Griffin, 36, took money, cigarettes, and lottery tickets from the store. Spencer and Ross pointed guns at an employee during the robbery.
• Jr. Market located in Norfolk – This incident took place on March 12, 2022, when Spencer, Ross, and Lockhart stole lottery tickets and money from the store. All three men pointed guns at an employee during this robbery.

A botched robbery

The crime spree came to an end on March 18, 2022, when the men — Ross, Spencer, Lockhart, Griffin, and Jon Demetrious Jacques Morgan, 34 — attempted to rob a Tiger Mart located in Virginia Beach. Spencer remained in a vehicle nearby the store to serve as a getaway driver as Ross, Lockhart, Griffin, and Morgan approached the store.

However, the four men decided to abort the robbery and ran back to the getaway vehicle. The five men then tried to flee from the police. As they were fleeing from police, the men threw the guns used in the robberies from the vehicle.

Police were able to use spike strips to disable the vehicle, and all five men were arrested.

The men will spend years behind bars now

After a long investigation and legal battles, all five men have now been sentenced and will be spending decades behind bars:

• Griffin pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022, to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison on June 9, 2023.
• Ross pleaded guilty on October 14, 2022, to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 27 years and one month in prison on June 13, 2023.
• Spencer and Morgan took their case to trial. They were convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on December 13, 2022. Spencer was also convicted of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The men were sentenced on November 7, 2023, with Morgan receiving seven years and three months in prison and Spencer receiving 42 years and three months in prison.
• Lockhart pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on October 6, 2022. He was sentenced on January 3, 2025, to 22 years and one month in prison.

Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.