A Norfolk jury has found Anton Demetrius Williams Jr., 23, guilty of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and resisting arrest after a 2023 bank heist that ended with a violent confrontation with police.
Robbery and Arrest
On December 11, 2023, a woman walked into a Granby Street credit union in Wards Corner and handed a teller a threatening note:
“You have one minute to put all the loose money in the bag or you will get shot.”
The teller triggered a silent alarm and handed over $2,000 in cash, including a decoy bundle with a GPS tracker. The woman—who was wearing a black wig—left with the money.
Police tracked the GPS signal to a gas station further north on Granby Street, where they spotted Williams leaving a car. When officers approached, Williams ran.
Inside his vehicle, officers found a receipt for a wig, purchased earlier that day. The GPS device continued moving with Williams as officers pursued him. When they caught up, they discovered an empty bank bag nearby and another bag containing the stolen money and tracker. Williams violently resisted arrest, breaking an officer’s wrist in the struggle. Surveillance footage showed him attempting to bury the bank bag before his arrest.
Trial and Conviction
Williams pleaded not guilty to all charges and chose to stand trial by jury. On March 12, 2025, the jury convicted him on all counts. Judge Robert B. Rigney set his sentencing for May 23.
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi praised the police investigation and urged the public to help identify Williams’ accomplice.
“Once again, a combination of witness cooperation, good police work, cameras, and technology gave my prosecutors the evidence necessary to try a violent crime to a jury and to secure a conviction,” Fatehi said.
Williams now faces a potentially lengthy sentence for his role in the robbery and assault on law enforcement.