A Roanoke man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for the robbery, shooting and murder of his drug supplier. Joseph Richard Walker, 30, pled guilty in February to charges of Hobbs Act robbery and possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence.
Walker’s co-conspirator, Garrett Isaac Williams, has also pled guilty to related charges and is currently awaiting sentencing.
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According to court documents, Walker and Williams were involved in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana from December 2021 until April 17, 2023. They acquired marijuana and marijuana wax from a supplier identified as E.B., who traveled from Pennsylvania to meet them at Walker’s residence in Roanoke.
In April 2023, Williams owed E.B. a significant amount of money for marijuana that had been fronted. After struggling to reach Williams, E.B. mistakenly called Walker’s mother, prompting Walker and Williams to devise a plan to sever ties with E.B. Instead of repaying the debt, they intended to rob E.B. during a marijuana delivery.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. arrived at Walker’s home with approximately ten pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Walker, armed with a Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol, confronted E.B. about the earlier phone call. Following a brief verbal exchange, Walker shot E.B. twice, killing him.
To cover up the crime, Walker dragged E.B.’s body out of his home, placed it in the trunk of E.B.’s car, and drove to Bedford County, Virginia, where he set the vehicle on fire. Before leaving, Walker took the marijuana that E.B. had brought.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police, and the United States Marshals Service, among others. Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, along with Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, announced the sentencing.
The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which includes officers from various local police departments, also played a crucial role in the investigation.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
For more details, see previous coverage: