Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Strangling NPD Officer During Arrest Following String of ABC Store Thefts

NORFOLK, Va. — Promise Leavon Williams, 42, was sentenced to serve a total of four years and seven months in custody after he was convicted of stealing from two ABC stores and one grocery store, strangling a police officer during his arrest for a third ABC store larceny, and violating his probation earlier this year.

On March 10, Mr. Williams entered the ABC store at 2301 Colley Ave. during business hours, stole multiple bottles of liquor, and fled the store on foot. A store clerk called 911, and a Norfolk Police officer responded to the area and saw Mr. Williams as he was walking. The officer ordered Mr. Williams multiple times to stop and get on the ground, but Mr. Williams repeatedly refused. The officer approached Mr. Williams and attempted to physically detain him, but Mr. Williams avoided being taken to the ground and took off running. The officer had been holding his taser but chose not to deploy it. The officer caught up to Mr. Williams, but Mr. Williams continued to resist arrest and put his hands around the officer’s neck, strangling him, during the struggle. The officer eventually overpowered Mr. Williams, he held Mr. Williams at taser-point until backup arrived, and he called for medics immediately afterward to treat the injuries Mr. Williams caused to his neck.

Mr. Williams had recently been charged with misdemeanor petit larceny for three thefts he had committed in the prior few weeks: from the West Virginia Beach Boulevard ABC store on Feb. 22, the Colonial Avenue Harris Teeter grocery store on March 1, and the downtown Granby Street ABC store on March 7.

Mr. Williams pleaded no contest to his three misdemeanor charges in Norfolk General District Court on May 21, was convicted as charged, and was sentenced to serve 18 months in jail with another 18 months suspended conditioned upon his good behavior for one year.

For the March 10 incident, Mr. Williams agreed to plead guilty on Aug. 20 in Norfolk Circuit Court to felony strangulation and serve two years and 10 months in prison, with an additional one year and two months suspended on the conditions that he complete two years of supervised probation and uniform good behavior following his release. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Williams’ plea agreement, found him guilty, and sentenced him per the agreement.

Mr. Williams was on probation for a 2021 offense at the time of his new convictions, and for violating his probation Judge LeCruise also sentenced Mr. Williams to serve another three months in jail.

Each of Mr. Williams’ sentences will run consecutively to one another, and Mr. Williams will serve a total of four years and seven months in custody.

“The Norfolk Police and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office have been focusing on thefts from our local ABC stores and had identified Mr. Williams as a repeat thief even prior to his assault of this officer,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Through our coordinated efforts we were able to arrest and prosecute Mr. Williams. My appreciation goes to the victim officer in this case, who risked his own safety in exercising the self-restraint he did. In committing this violent assault, Mr. Williams only made things worse for himself.” 

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony J. Balady prosecuted Mr. Williams’ cases on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jose R. Oyola led the investigation following the officer’s assault.

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