A Georgia man has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for making interstate threats just three days after a gunman shot and killed six people at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.
NORFOLK, Va. – On November 25, 2022, DeAndre Tamir Murphy, 30, of Atlanta, called two Walmart stores in Virginia Beach and threatened to enter the stores and start shooting people unless he received $20,000.
Identifying himself as “Mohammed,” Murphy made the calls, which were recorded by investigators, on the day after Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday,” when stores were filled with shoppers.
Murphy’s threats came just three days after a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in Chesapeake, killing six people and sending shockwaves through the community.
According to court documents, investigators were able to trace the calls back to Murphy in Atlanta, and he was subsequently charged with making interstate threats.
Murphy pleaded guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 27. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, although actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber and FBI Special Agent Brian Dugan made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case.
Murphy’s guilty plea and sentencing will bring a measure of closure to the community, which was shaken by the Walmart shooting and his subsequent threats.
Related court documents and information are available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-9.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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