NORFOLK, Va. — A federal jury convicted a man and woman for their roles in a string of armed commercial robberies around Hampton Roads.
According to court records and evidence presented during the trial, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) says Norfolk residents Brandon Chavis, 36, and Melissa Beasley, 43, robbed 7-Elevens, Subway sandwich shops, and gas stations armed with a firearm between October 1, 2021 and November 15, 2021.
EDVA says the jury received evidence related to 12 robberies or attempted robberies committed by the two throughout Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Yorktown and Portsmouth.
Beasley drove Chavis in her gray Volvo SUV to each robbery, according to EDVA.
Chavis entered the stores, brandished a firearm at the clerks, and fled to Beasley while she waited in the car, EDVA said in a release.
On one occasion, Beasley cashed one of the stolen lottery tickets only 33 minutes after Chavis robbed it from a Speedway.
On Nov. 15, during an interaction with the two, Norfolk police recovered the firearm Chavis used in the robberies and seized Beasley's vehicle, according to detectives.
The two will be sentenced on Sept. 27.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
