A Memphis man is headed to federal prison for three decades after admitting to a run of convenience-store holdups that prosecutors say terrorized Cordova and nearby Bartlett. The string of five robberies stretched for more than a year and included incidents where a gun was fired into the air, and the prison term will be followed by a period of supervised release, according to federal authorities.
Prosecutors say 28-year-old Laquarius King pleaded guilty in February to five robbery counts and two counts of discharging a firearm during those stickups. A judge handed down a 30-year federal sentence on Monday, to be followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant described King’s conduct as a "lifestyle of lawlessness" that terrorized victims, according to Action News 5.
Targeted stations and timeline
Investigators say King repeatedly hit two gas stations in the area: the Star 24 Exxon on Appling Road and the Berryhill Market Marathon on Berryhill Road. According to prosecutors, he robbed those locations on five separate occasions between July 2, 2023, and Oct. 2, 2024. Surveillance video allegedly captured him in action, and in two of the robberies, he fired a shot into the air when a clerk hesitated to open the cash drawer, according to WREG.
How the spree ended
The run of robberies ended on Oct. 2, 2024, when an off-duty Memphis police officer happened to be in the parking lot of one of the targeted gas stations and saw a holdup unfold, according to federal prosecutors. The officer followed the suspect’s getaway vehicle while calling 911, drawing in additional units. The chase ended in a crash in Bartlett, where officers took King into custody, per Action News 5.
Charges and evidence
King ultimately admitted to five robbery charges and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Prosecutors noted that those federal firearm counts carry especially stiff penalties when guns are used during violent offenses. Court filings say the case leaned on security footage, eyewitness statements, and the off-duty officer’s pursuit to tie King to the holdups, according to WREG.
Earlier coverage and the arrest
Hoodline previously covered the Oct. 2024 chase and arrest, which followed a robbery at the Appling Road station and ended with a multi-vehicle crash in Bartlett. That earlier report includes additional details on witnesses, the crash response, and the initial slate of charges; see coverage of the high-speed chase and crash in Bartlett.
Federal prosecutors say the lengthy sentence will remove King from the community and help protect Memphians. He will serve his time in federal custody, then start his five-year supervised-release term once the prison portion of the sentence is complete.
