Christopher Allen Williams Jr. had a habit of hanging around with the wrong people.
That’s what he told a judge Wednesday in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court, where he was sentenced to 53 years in prison with all but 12 years suspended for invading a home with a group of men in James City County and robbing its occupants.
“I’ve always chosen to be around the wrong people,” he said, admitting he was in the Crips gang before the incident at Lafayette Village Apartments, where he and three others — Devonte J. Hayes, Marklin Antonio Mitchell and D’andre Andrews Hardy — broke into a drug dealer’s apartment and shot a man.
Williams, 22, entered an Alford plea — in which he admits that if the case were taken to trial, there would have been enough evidence to find him guilty — in October to one count of robbery, one count of armed burglary and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
He will serve a total of 12 years for all three charges after being held without bond at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail since his arrest Jan. 5, 2014.
Williams’ aunt, who attended his sentencing hearing with several teary-eyed members of Williams’ family, told Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court Judge Michael McGinty her nephew’s childhood had been fraught with neglect.
“We all make mistakes as young people,” she said, explaining Williams was living with her when he committed the robbery.
“His loyalty to people is one of his biggest downfalls,” she added.
On Jan. 4, 2014, Williams and the three others stormed a drug dealer’s apartment with a shotgun wearing ski masks and bandannas after seeing a photo of the man “flashing” money on Facebook, Gaten said.
Seven people and two children were in the home at the time.
Once inside, the four robbed the occupants of their wallets and cell phones.
Hayes, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, took a .22 caliber handgun that belonged to the man in the Facebook photo who lived at the apartment and shot a then 20-year-old man in the neck and upper arm, authorities said.
The four men then fled the residence, and police later tracked down Williams and Hardy at a home on Algonquin Trail, standing in front of a burning trash can that contained some of the stolen items as well as a burnt bandanna and a black ski mask.
Hayes and Mitchell were arrested at a nearby 7-Eleven.
When prompted by the judge, Williams recounted an instance in 2010 when he was convicted of being part of a gang.
He explained how “disrespectful words” were exchanged between his gang and another gang in a Williamsburg neighborhood, leaving him with a stab wound and a felony conviction.
“It was just something that made us feel like, ‘We’re cool now,’” he said of his gang affiliation. “It’s something I really wish I didn’t get into.”
McGinty said the gang fight was “frighteningly similar” to what occurred in Lafayette Village.
“If you had been with your family members instead of these people, you wouldn’t be here today,” he said.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Gaten said Williams was released from prison after serving one year for the gang participation charge and was later convicted of a probation violation that brought him back to prison.
He was also convicted as a juvenile for a destruction of property charge and an assault charge.
“It’s almost like you can see it coming,” Gaten said.
By entering into a plea agreement, seven counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, one count of abduction by force or intimidation, three counts of malicious bodily injury and two counts of robbery were dropped against Williams.
Hayes will be sentenced May 22 and faces an active incarceration of up to 17 years.
Hardy and Mitchell, who face an active jail sentence of four years and five years, respectively, after pleading guilty to charges, will be sentenced April 1.
Related Coverage:
- Two Men Accused in Lafayette Village Home Invasion Plead Guilty
- Shooter in Lafayette Village Home Invasion Pleads Guilty
- One in Alleged Lafayette Village Home Invasion Pleads Guilty
- Alleged Lafayette Village Home Invader Pleads Not Guilty
- People Inside JCC Apartment During Home Invasion, Shooting Share Details in Court
- Alleged JCC Home Invaders Offer Conflicting Stories
- JCC Man Shot in Saturday Home Invasion Off Longhill Road
