2 Men Admit To String Of 7-11 Robberies, Including In Hamilton

Two Camden man have pleaded guilty to eight armed robberies of 7-11 stores in South Jersey, including one in Hamilton Township (Mercer County), during the first six months of 2014, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced.

Charles L. Walls, 35, pleaded guilty to first-degree charges of attempted murder and robbery, as well as two counts of third-degree criminal restraint. He faces 30 years in state prison, including 17 years of parole ineligibility. He faces 20 years on the attempted murder charge and a concurrent sentence of 10 years on the robbery charge. He faces five years for each count of criminal restraint, which will run consecutive to the time served on the attempted murder charge.

Anthony T. Ervin, 27, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery. He faces 12 years in state prison, including just over 10 years of parole ineligibility. Sentencing for both is scheduled for June 1.

The attempted murder charge stems from an armed robbery at a 7-Eleven on Westfield Avenue in Pennsauken at about 12:45 a.m. on Jan. 10, 2014. During the robbery, a 28-year-old clerk from Paulsboro was shot four times, leaving him paralyzed. Walls admitted that he shot the clerk, Grewal said.

Walls also admitted to his participation in two other robberies, in which he restrained the store clerks with zip ties. Ervin admitted to participating in the armed robbery of the 7-11 at 508 East Church Street in Blackwood on June 13, 2014.

A third man who has not been identified also helped in the armed robberies of 7-11 stores in Hamilton Township (Mercer County) and Medford Lakes, which both took place on May 27, 2014, Grewal said.

In each robbery, the men wore masks, hooded sweatshirts and gloves. One man allegedly held up the clerk at gunpoint while the other man or men stole the cash from the register and cigarettes, Grewal said.

In four instances, the robbers used zip ties to restrain store clerks. The robbers drove to the stores in a reddish orange Chevrolet Sonic.

Walls and Ervin were arrested in a multi-agency investigation coordinated by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Walls was arrested on June 13, 2014 at his apartment. Detectives executed search warrants for the apartment and for a reddish orange Chevrolet Sonic that was found at the apartment and was used by Walls.

Police said they found a Ruger .40-caliber handgun in the apartment, along with packs of cigarettes, other tobacco products, and footwear and clothing items consistent with those worn in the robberies. Latex gloves and zip ties were also found in the car, Grewal said.

Ervin was arrested on Oct. 8, 2014. Both men have been in jail since they were arrested.

In addition to the aforementioned robberies, they were charged in connection with the following robberies:

• April 27, 2014, 7-Eleven at 610 Kresson Road in Cherry Hill.
• May 6, 2014, 7-Eleven at 7800 Maple Avenue in Cherry Hill.
• May 15, 7-Eleven at 1 East Camden Avenue in Moorestown.
• June 3, 2014, 7-Eleven at 2 East Main Street in Marlton.

The attached images were provided by the Attorney General's Office