South L.A. Man Sentenced to Nearly 6½ Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Half a Dozen Businesses Within Two-Week Crime Spree

LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison for committing six armed robberies of local businesses, mostly 7-Eleven stores, during a two-week crime spree in late 2021.

Colin Powell Lacey, 29, of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong.

Lacey pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).

From November 13, 2021, to November 29, 2021, Lacey participated in the robbery of six businesses – five of which were 7-Eleven convenience stores. During the robberies, Lacey typically entered the stores, pointed a handgun at the store’s cashier and stole money – usually hundreds of dollars in cash belonging to the business.

For example, on November 29, 2021, Lacey and his co-conspirator, Kyle Richard Williams, 26, of Inglewood, traveled together to a smoke shop located in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles. Williams entered the store, pointed a handgun at the cashier and stole $442 while Lacey waited outside the store before fleeing with Williams.

That same night, Lacey and Williams robbed 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood and Mid-City, with Lacey pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Hollywood store and Williams pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Mid-City business, making off with $600 and $100, respectively. Lacey and Williams then fled in Lacey’s Hyundai.

On December 30, 2021, Lacey and Williams attempted to rob a 7-Eleven in El Segundo. Williams pointed a handgun at the store employee and demanded money. Lacey and Williams fled together after the employee showed Williams that the cash register was empty.

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

Lacey and Williams have been in federal custody since March 2022.

Williams pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery. In December 2022, Judge Frimpong sentenced Williams to six years in federal prison.

The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeremiah M. Levine of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, prosecuted this case.