Richmond Robber Pleads Guilty to Armed Heist

RICHMOND, Va. – A chilling tale of gunpoint thievery took a dark turn as Darryl Nathaniel Cole, 59, pleaded guilty to an armed robbery at a local 7-Eleven store.

On July 3, 2023, Cole entered the Mechanicsville Turnpike location with intentions sinister. After an attempt to buy tobacco products failed due to insufficient funds, his criminal design escalated. Armed with a handgun, Cole robbed the clerk at gunpoint, demanding cash that was swiftly stolen.

The drama didn’t end there. When the clerk tried to escape, Cole fired a warning shot, narrowly missing the intended target and striking a coffeemaker instead. With money in hand, Cole fled the scene, leaving fear and destruction in his wake.

Cole will now face the music on September 26th, when he is scheduled for sentencing. The mandatory minimum sentence for armed robbery in federal court is 10 years, with life imprisonment a possible outcome. While actual sentences are often less severe, Cole faces a severe blow to his freedom.

Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea after the case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman. The joint effort of law enforcement agencies including the FBI, Richmond Police, and Henrico County Police Division led to Cole’s capture and today’s guilty plea.

The press release for this harrowing case is available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, along with related court documents and information accessible through PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-33.