Man Who Robbed Winston-Salem Convenience Store Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to a total of 420 months in prison after being found guilty of robbery, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).   

TODD ALBERT LAWTON, aged 43, was convicted in March by a jury in federal district court of one count of interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).  He was sentenced today to 240 months imprisonment on the robbery charge by the Honorable David A. Bragdon, United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina.  Judge Bragdon sentenced LAWTON to an additional 180 months on the brandishing charge to run consecutively to the other sentence, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

Evidence presented at trial showed that LAWTON entered the Family Fare BP convenience store at 1427 West First Street in Winston-Salem at approximately 2:05 a.m. on March 30, 2019. He walked up behind a man standing at the counter and put a gun to the back of the man’s head.  He then turned the gun on the gas station cashier and demanded the money from the register.  He demanded access to the store safe but was told by the cashier that the key to the safe was not inside the store at that time.  Along with the money from the register, LAWTON took several boxes of Black & Mild cigars and a can of beer, then left the store.  He was found by officers of the Winston-Salem Police Department several minutes later, still in possession of the money, cigars, and beer.

LAWTON, who is originally from Washington D.C., has a criminal record that dates back to 2002, and includes multiple felony convictions, including Robbery, Felony Assault on a Federal Officer, Federal Felony Inmate Possessing Contraband Weapon, and Felony Distribution of Cocaine.

The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Martin and Assistant United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon.