Car Stop Robber Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison

RICHMOND, VA—Na Phoun Chhim, 28, of North Chesterfield, Virginia, was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for robbery and for brandishing a firearm during that robbery. Chhim was also ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution to the victims. In addition to being ordered to pay restitution, Chhim was also ordered to forfeit two firearms (not used in the robbery) and ammunition for three different firearms, each of which was recovered from inside Chhim’s residence.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Thierry Dupuis, Chief of Police for the Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

In a statement of facts filed in support of this guilty plea, Chhim admitted that he entered the Car Stop, a convenience store located on Jefferson Davis Highway in Northern Chesterfield, Virginia, a few minutes before noon. He “racked” and then brandished a black handgun. Chhim did not speak during the robbery but motioned first to the clerk to put money into a bag and then motioned to one of the owners to remove United States currency from a drawer. During the robbery, Chhim also brandished the firearm in the direction of a customer. The total amount of money Chhim stole from the Car Stop was $1,500.

After stealing the money, Chhim ran from the store in the direction of Alcott Road. Shortly thereafter, Chesterfield police responded to the crime scene. A tracking K-9 named Alvin and his partner Officer Moody tracked a scent from the Car Stop through a wooded area and up to a shed located behind the Chhim family residence. It was later learned that Chhim lived in this shed, which he used as his bedroom. Several eyewitnesses reported that they had observed an individual jump over a fence and then enter the shed. A short while later, Chhim was observed leaving the shed in his father’s truck. The stolen money and the firearm that was brandished during the robbery were never found.

Store security video showed the robber wearing a gray Champion® sweatshirt and gray Champion® sweatpants, with a white cloth covering his face. Clothing matching the clothes worn by the robber was found inside Chhim’s bedroom. An eyewitness also reported seeing the suspect’s red boxer shorts as he jumped over a fence. At the time of his arrest, Chhim was wearing red pajama pants and red boxer shorts. Forensic evidence, including DNA analysis and fingerprints, also linked Chhim to the crime. Chhim entered a plea of guilty to both charges on July 30, 2013, just days before trial was scheduled to commence.

This case was investigated by the Chesterfield County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.