Two armed men walked into ONB Market on NW Third Avenue in Miami Thursday morning, racked their firearms, and sent terrified employees scrambling to hide before fleeing with about $550 from the register. By Thursday afternoon, officers had arrested 18-year-old Lenorse Lee Williams, who police say was one of the robbers.
According to WSVN, the robbery unfolded at ONB Market, located at 1633 NW Third Ave., with the two men first entering wearing ski masks and asking about the price of an item before leaving and returning roughly five minutes later. Once back inside, Williams headed toward the back of the store while the second man approached the register, the outlet reported.
Clerk Hides as Men Rack Their Weapons
The two men racked their firearms once inside, prompting the clerk to scream and hide in a nearby office, per the report. Another employee briefly came out of the bathroom before retreating back inside to hide. The second man then opened the register and took about $550, according to the report, before the pair fled west through a nearby courtyard.
Detectives tracked Williams as he fled using a drone, and the footage showed him removing his shorts and hiding at 1840 NW Fifth Place, according to the report. That same drone and surveillance imagery would later become central to his arrest.
Suspect Admits Being There, Denies Role in Robbery
Williams acknowledged being at the scene and identified himself in the drone and surveillance images, but he denied participating in the robbery, the outlet reported. He told police he was at the scene but did not take part in the heist, per the report.
Officers arrested Williams Thursday afternoon, charging him with armed robbery with a firearm and burglary with assault or battery. A judge found probable cause in the case and ordered that he be held with no bond.
What a Conviction Would Mean Under Florida Law
Florida law treats robbery convictions with particular weight when it comes to a person's criminal record down the line. Under Florida Statutes section 943.0584, a criminal-history record based on a robbery conviction is ineligible for court-ordered expunction or sealing. The available evidence in this case does not establish whether Williams has been convicted, and the outcome of the charges remains to be seen.
