NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Virginians on Tuesday for a series of armed robberies in Suffolk and attempting to dispose of evidence.
From November 2020 through February 2022, Harvey Lee Lewis IV, also known as Hurricane, 36, of Suffolk, and Dennis Lee Adamson Jr., 29, of Portsmouth, orchestrated a series of armed robberies targeting convenience stores. In several instances, Lewis fired his semiautomatic firearm into the ceiling upon entering the store, causing panic among employees and customers.
Court records reveal that Lewis and Adamson robbed four convenience stores between November 10 and November 20, 2020, including two stores on the same day. On February 3, 2022, they robbed the EZ Food Mart & Deli in Suffolk, where Adamson brandished a pistol at customers while Lewis fired several rounds, narrowly missing a store employee. Lewis then seized a cash register, and the pair fled the scene.
Additionally, Lewis and Adamson committed separate robberies. Lewis robbed a 7-Eleven on February 1, 2022. After Lewis was identified and arrested, Adamson robbed a Dollar General store in Portsmouth on October 14, 2022.
While in pre-trial detention on February 15, 2022, Lewis had a video call with Ieisha Marie Adamson, 32, of Portsmouth. During the call, Lewis instructed Ieisha Adamson to remove items from his vehicle, including a box of ammunition from a hidden compartment that law enforcement had overlooked during a prior search. When police encountered Ieisha Adamson two hours later, she no longer had the ammunition.
Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He faces a mandatory minimum of 24 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life when sentenced on September 19.
Dennis Adamson was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life when sentenced on September 19.
Ieisha Adamson was convicted of accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 19.