Armed Robbers Convicted in Lunenburg

Staff Report

Dequan Fitzgerald Brown

Carlton Maurice Craig

LUNENBURG – Carlton Maurice Craig and Dequan Fitzgerald Brown, ages 18 and 19 respectively, of Lunenburg County, were sentenced recently in Lunenburg Circuit Court by Judge S. Anderson Nelson to serve six years in prison on felony convictions of Armed Robbery and Use of a Firearm During a Felony.  Additional suspended time amounted to 37 years each under numerous conditions.

According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Clement, the convictions arose from an incident on March 11, 2016 in the Town of Victoria at a residence at 1500 Washington Avenue where Brown and Craig burst into the bathroom while the 30-year-old adult male victim was using the toilet and threatened him with two handguns, a 9 mm and a .380 with laser targeting.

The victim, who was residing temporarily in Victoria while working, yielded $13 in cash, his iPhone and his keys.  The men then demanded more and forced him to his truck outside.  At one point the men became distracted, and the victim ran off, jumping a nearby fence and running over to the next street where he had someone call the police.  Brown and Craig were gone before police got there in just a few minutes.

The victim knew the name of one of the men, and was able to pick out the other man from a photo lineup.

On March 12 in South Hill, police encountered a crowd of individuals causing a disturbance in a parking lot at the Days Inn. An officer observed Carlton Craig throw a beer bottle in the grass. When instructed by the office to pick it up, Craig refused, and was then placed under arrest for drunk in public and disorderly conduct. During the search incidental to the arrest, the officer discovered a Diamondback 9 mm handgun with laser sight in the defendant’s front pocket.

On March 14 Deputy Sheriff Greg Currin and State Trooper Bill Wooding spotted Brown as a passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop in Kenbridge. Upon searching Brown, they found a Smith & Wesson .380 pistol with a laser sight located in the car within arm’s reach of the defendant. There was also a magazine full of rounds.

Both men were interviewed separately by Officer Michael Landry with each man at first denying being involved in the robbery, but ultimately admitting being present, and blaming the other defendant as the main instigator.

Clement said he argued for more than seven years’ active time, emphasizing Craig’s lack of expressing any remorse and his previous criminal convictions of larceny of a vehicle in 2014, possession of drugs with intent to distribute in 2014, and a probation violation in 2015. He also pointed out that Craig had just quit going to school in the 11th grade, had not been employed ever, and put it on his family to support him.  He also emphasized Craig’s admission to using alcohol daily starting at age 18 and his use of marijuana daily starting at age 16.

Concerning Brown, Clement said he pointed out his lack of remorse and his criminal record of  Disorderly Conduct in 2010, Larceny in 2012, trespassing, Probation violation, and Unauthorized use of a vehicle in 2013.  He also pointed out the defendant’s expulsion from school due to behavioral issues in the 11th grade, and having only a brief work history of three weeks in 2015 at Virginia Marble before being fired for disrespecting his supervisor.

Clement said the active sentences imposed by the judge are within the recommendation of the Sentencing Guidelines of four years, nine months, to eight years, five months.

In addition to the active time they will serve on the convictions, the defendants will be subject to conditions of good behavior for 45 years, supervised probation for  three years, warrantless searches for five years, restitution to the victim in the amount of $562.00, and no contact with the victim.