NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Williamsburg man was sentenced today
to 45 years in prison for his leadership role in the 2009 murder of Louis
Joseph Jr., in Newport News.
Mark Xavier Wallace, 37, was convicted following a jury
trial on April 17, along with co-defendants Joseph James Cain Benson, of
Boston, and Bryan Lamar Brown, of Newport News.
“We will remain steadfast in our fight against violent crime
in Tidewater and are increasing our resources as we speak,” said G. Zachary
Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Wallace was
the leader of a crew that brutally murdered Louis Joseph in his home in 2009.
Today’s sentence reflects what happens to those commit heinous crimes of
violence. This case is a quintessential example of law enforcement partnerships
coming together to fight the scourge of drug violence. I want to thank the
prosecutors who brought this matter to trial, the FBI, and the Newport News
Police Department for their outstanding work on this difficult case.”
According to court documents, Louis Joseph was beaten and
shot multiple times at his Denbigh home while he babysat a five-year-old child.
Wallace organized the home invasion and recruited Benson and another individual
who traveled from Boston to Williamsburg to commit the home invasion of Louis
Joseph to obtain money and drugs. Brown transported the co-defendants to
Joseph’s house and also supplied the two firearms to commit the murder. Benson
and at least one other man entered the home of Joseph, beat him and shot him
multiple times during the robbery.
Benson was sentenced to life in prison on July 24. Brown was
sentenced to 45 years in prison on July 19.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a
program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities
they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for
everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of
the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all
U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and
tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective,
locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern
District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s
Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the
announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick prosecuted the
case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court
documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No.
4:17-cr-45.
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