Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Robbery Conspiracy
NORFOLK, Va. – Montarius Murry, 20, of Portsmouth, Va., pleaded guilty today in Norfolk federal court to conspiracy charges in connection with his role last year in the robbery of the Gold Shop in Portsmouth, which resulted in the slaying of an individual working there. Murry faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on February 2, 2012.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after Murry’s plea was accepted by United States Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller. Murry was previously indicted on May 4, 2011 by a federal grand jury in a five-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery; use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
According to court documents, on the morning of October 6, 2010, the defendant and his co-conspirators attempted to rob the Gold Shop, a pawn business located in Portsmouth, Va. During the attempted robbery, one of the defendant’s co-conspirators shot and killed Robert Nelson, who was watching the Gold Shop for his friend. In a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Murry admitted to planning and participating in the conspiracy to rob the Gold Shop, but did not personally shoot Robert Nelson, nor did he instruct any other person to shoot Robert Nelson or agree with any other person that Robert Nelson should be shot.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Portsmouth Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Hatch is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
