Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To More Than 19 Years For Armed Robbery Of Two Fast Food Restaurants

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Elijah Stevarus Hallman, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 231 months in prison in connection with the armed robberies of two fast food restaurants, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray.  Hallman was also ordered to serve three years under supervised release after he is released from prison.

John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and statements made in court, Elijah Hallman recruited his cousin and co-defendant, Cameron Hallman, to commit the robberies.  Trial evidence established that, over the course of the armed robberies, Cameron Hallman operated as the getaway driver, and Elijah Hallman acted as the gunman.

According to court records, around 2:00 a.m. on April 11, 2018, the two men drove to a Wendy’s restaurant located at 7900 Arrowridge Blvd in Charlotte, where Cameron Hallman placed a drive-through order while Elijah Hallman concealed himself nearby.  When Cameron Hallman pulled up to the window, Elijah Hallman walked up and stuck a pistol through the drive-through window, pointed it at the cashier, and demanded money.  Cameron Hallman then pulled off as though he was not associated with Elijah Hallman, and a short while later the pair met up across the street.

Trial evidence established that the Wendy’s robbery was largely unsuccessful, as the cashier threw five dollars at Elijah Hallman and ran away to another part of the restaurant.  As a result, the co-conspirators decided to commit a second armed robbery.  About 30 minutes after the Wendy’s robbery, Elijah and Cameron Hallman stopped at a McDonald’s restaurant located at 4440 S. Tryon Street in Charlotte.  They executed the same plan in the same manner, however, in this robbery, Elijah Hallman ripped out the entire cash drawer and carried it off.  The robbery netted the pair approximately $360.  According to trial evidence, while leaving the McDonald’s parking lot to meet up with Cameron Hallman, Elijah Hallman dropped some loose change from the cash drawer and a cell phone.  At trial, evidence established that the recovered cell phone belonged to Elijah Hallman, who had used it to communicate with Cameron Hallman, and that the cell phone was in the vicinity of the restaurants during both robberies. 

In April 2019, a federal jury convicted Elijah Hallman of Hobbs Act robbery, which is the robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce; conspiracy to commit robbery; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the robbery.  Cameron Hallman previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robberies and was sentenced to 180 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Elijah Hallman is currently in federal custody.  He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.  All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.

The FBI and CMPD handled the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kelly and Cortney Randall, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted Elijah Hallman’s case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Kaufman handled Cameron Hallman’s prosecution.