Two men have been sentenced to prison for the armed robbery of clerks at Video Game Heaven, a store on Colonial Avenue in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood, last year. Jayvon Antonio Bell, 25, will serve three years, while his accomplice, Eddie Roschelle King, 23, received a five-year sentence. Both pleaded guilty in separate hearings earlier this year.
The robbery took place on August 22, 2023, when Bell and King entered the store shortly before closing, waited for other customers to leave, and then threatened the clerks at gunpoint. King pointed a handgun at the cashier, demanding cash in a plastic bag, while Bell grabbed video games and console controllers. The pair fled the store in a minivan with the stolen goods, but their escape was short-lived.
How Police Caught Them
Norfolk investigators collaborated with Chesapeake Police after learning of another robbery committed the same night involving the same suspects and vehicle. Using data from the Flock license plate recognition system, authorities traced the minivan’s movements before and after the Video Game Heaven robbery. On August 25, Chesapeake Police stopped the vehicle and arrested Bell, who admitted to having the van during both robberies.
Further investigation revealed Bell and King’s history of shoplifting from a different game store in 2022. King’s cellphone location data placed him near Video Game Heaven during the robbery, and social media photos linked the two men. Both were charged with armed robbery and conspiracy.
Sentencing Details
King pleaded guilty in April, and Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise sentenced him to five years in prison with an additional five years suspended under conditions including good behavior, supervised probation, and a ban from the store. Bell initially sought a jury trial, but after evidence was suppressed in court, he changed his plea to guilty. On September 24, he received a three-year sentence from Judge David W. Lannetti, along with similar conditions to King’s.
“These men endangered the lives of the clerks for financial gain,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We are fortunate that no one was hurt, and I hope they make better choices after serving their time.”
Both men are also facing penalties for a related robbery in Chesapeake.