Federal judge hands down 150 month sentence to Roanoke man involved in marijuana robbery that ended in murder
Roanoke, Virginia – a Roanoke man has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy that ended in the brutal murder of his drug supplier.
Garrett Isaac Williams, 22, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in February 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Williams’ punishment comes just months after his co-defendant, Joseph Walker, received a 35-year sentence in April for Hobbs Act Robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Plotting a Deadly Robbery
Court documents revealed that beginning no later than January 2023, Williams and Walker were heavily involved in distributing marijuana and marijuana wax in Roanoke. Their supply came from a Pennsylvania man identified as E.B., who regularly traveled to Virginia to deliver large amounts of drugs to Walker’s residence.
But as the months went by, the pair fell into significant debt to their supplier. In a tense twist, E.B. accidentally phoned Walker’s mother in an attempt to collect the money owed. This mistake set off a dangerous chain of events. Instead of paying their debt, Walker and Williams devised a plan to trick E.B. into bringing even more marijuana so they could rob him, hoping to scare him into never returning to Virginia.
The Deadly Day
On April 17, 2023, E.B. drove to Walker’s residence with about 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Williams kept in steady contact with E.B. during the trip, updating Walker so he would be ready when E.B. arrived.
Walker, armed with a Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol, confronted E.B. about the phone call to his mother. What followed was a chilling act of violence. Walker shot E.B. twice, killing him instantly. Afterward, Walker carried out the robbery as planned, stealing the marijuana and attempting to cover up the crime. He moved E.B.’s body into the trunk of the victim’s own car, drove it to Bedford County, Virginia, and set the vehicle on fire.
Williams’ Role and Sentencing
Though not physically present during the shooting, Williams admitted in court that he helped plan the robbery, fully aware that force would be used. His participation in the scheme was a key factor in his conviction and sentencing.
This case highlights how a dispute over drug debts escalated into a deadly confrontation, ending with one man murdered and two others facing decades in federal prison.
