Roanoke man enters guilty plea for his involvement in a deadly drug trafficking plot
Roanoke, Virginia – A Roanoke man who played a key role in a drug distribution operation has admitted to helping plan a robbery that ultimately resulted in the murder of his supplier. Garrett Isaac Williams, 22, pled guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. His plea comes just weeks after his co-defendant, Joseph Walker, admitted to Hobbs Act Robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
A Partnership in Drug Distribution Turns Deadly
According to court records, Williams and Walker had been working together to distribute large amounts of marijuana and marijuana wax since at least January 2023. Their supplier, known as E.B., traveled from Pennsylvania to Virginia to provide them with the drugs, often meeting at Walker’s residence in Roanoke.
However, over time, the two men fell into debt with E.B., owing him a significant sum for past drug deliveries. When E.B. attempted to collect the money, he inadvertently called Walker’s mother instead of Walker, a mistake that set off a deadly chain of events.
Rather than repaying their debt, Walker and Williams devised a plan—they would order another shipment of marijuana from E.B. and rob him upon delivery, hoping to frighten him enough to keep him from returning to Virginia.
The Deadly Confrontation and Murder of E.B.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. made his final trip to Virginia, carrying approximately 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Williams played an active role in setting up the meeting, staying in touch with E.B. and feeding Walker information about his arrival.
Meanwhile, Walker armed himself with a Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol, fully prepared to use it during the robbery. When E.B. arrived at Walker’s home, he was invited inside, unaware of the violence that awaited him. Walker immediately confronted him about the mistaken phone call, and without hesitation, shot him twice, killing him on the spot.
After taking the marijuana and wax that E.B. had brought, Walker went to great lengths to cover up his crime. He dragged E.B.’s body out of the house, placed it in the trunk of E.B.’s car, and drove to Bedford County, Virginia. There, he set the car on fire, attempting to destroy the evidence.
Williams Admits His Role in the Deadly Scheme
Although Williams was not physically present when Walker pulled the trigger, he fully admitted to planning the robbery and intending to use force to take E.B.’s drugs. His guilty plea acknowledges his direct involvement in the events leading up to the murder.
