Man pleads guilty to six armed robberies, mostly 7-Eleven stores, during two-week crime spree

A South Los Angeles man pleaded guilty Friday to a federal conspiracy charge and admitted to committing six armed robberies of businesses, including several 7-Eleven stores, during a two-week crime spree late last year.

Colin Powell Lacey, 28, of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, according to federal prosecutors.

According to his plea agreement, Lacey participated in the armed robbery of six businesses — five of which were 7-Eleven convenience stores — from Nov. 13, 2021, to Nov. 29, 2021, authorities said.

In one instance, on Nov. 29, 2021, Lacey and his co-conspirator, Kyle Richard Williams, 25, of Inglewood, went together to a smoke shop located in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles, authorities said. Williams entered the store, pointed a handgun at the cashier and stole $442 while Lacey waited outside the store.

That same night, Lacey and Williams robbed 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood and Mid-City, making off with $600 and $100, respectively, authorities said. Lacey and Williams fled in Lacey’s Hyundai.

In all, Lacey admitted to participating in the armed robbery of six stores, including two other 7-Elevens in Hollywood and one 7-Eleven in West Hollywood, authorities said. Lacey and Williams netted a total of $2,859 from the robberies.

Lacey and Williams have been in federal custody since March 2022. The FBI working with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau Metro Detail built the case against the pair.

U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong scheduled a Nov. 4 sentencing hearing for Lacey, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Williams pleaded guilty on July 29 to multiple counts of robbery and attempted robbery. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each Hobbs Act robbery count.