Man Sentenced to 12 Years After Pleading Guilty to Carjacking 2 Victims at Gunpoint in Norfolk Parking Lots

NORFOLK, Va. — Cameron Thomas Lake, 36, was sentenced on March 28 to serve 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to carjacking two individuals at gunpoint last year in the parking lots of two businesses.

After midnight on April 7, 2024, Mr. Lake carjacked a man who had just finished eating inside his car parked at the Sonic drive-in off of North Military Highway. Mr. Lake walked up to the car, pointed a gun to the driver’s window, and demanded that the victim exit his car and leave his phone behind. When the victim got out of his car, Mr. Lake told the victim to walk away and got in the driver’s seat. The victim still had his keys on his person as he was walking away. When Mr. Lake realized he could not start the victim’s car, Mr. Lake got out of the car, ran up to the victim, pointed his gun at the victim again, and demanded his car key. The victim threw his keys on the ground in Mr. Lake’s direction, and Mr. Lake picked them up, commanded the victim to walk away again, got back in the victim’s car, and drove away in it. The victim walked around to the other side of the drive-in lot and asked another patron to call 911 as he watched Mr. Lake drive away in his car. The victim’s car was enabled with GPS tracking, and the victim provided the tracking information to Norfolk Police investigators. Within two hours of the carjacking, officers found the car unoccupied in the parking lot of a strip mall about a mile away from the Sonic.

On the following afternoon of April 8, Mr. Lake carjacked another individual in the parking lot of the Home Depot that is also off Military Highway, about a five-minute drive from Sonic. The victim was spending her lunch break in her car and talking on the phone when Mr. Lake walked up to her driver’s window, pointed a gun at her, and repeatedly commanded her to hand over her “phones, wallet and keys.” The victim got out of her car, Mr. Lake got in the driver’s seat, and Mr. Lake drove off after throwing out her phone and wallet. This victim’s car was also enabled with GPS tracking, and the victim provided Norfolk Police with the tracking information. Within minutes of the carjacking, officers located this victim’s car while Mr. Lake was still in it and arrested Mr. Lake.

Mr. Lake matched the description that the first victim provided to police, and Mr. Lake was charged for both offenses with two counts of carjacking, two counts of using a firearm to commit carjacking, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Nov. 4, Mr. Lake entered an agreement to plead guilty to both carjacking and felon-firearm charges. In exchange for Mr. Lake’s pleas, the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss the charges for using a firearm. There was no agreement to Mr. Lake’s sentence. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. Lake’s plea agreement and found him guilty.

On March 28, after hearing arguments from the Commonwealth and defense, Judge Lindsey sentenced Mr. Lake to serve 12 years in prison and suspended another 28 years on the conditions that Mr. Lake complete three years of supervised probation following his release, complete 20 years of uniform good behavior, and pay more than $3,400 in restitution to one of the victims. Mr. Lake’s active sentence was above the high-end of his recommended sentencing guidelines.

“Carjacking is robbery plus auto theft, and as frightening as each of those crimes is to a victim in isolation, combining them makes each so much worse,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Fortunately, Mr. Lake did not physically harm either victim — his sentence would have been far longer had he done so — but it is hard not to imagine the fear the victims felt. Mr. Lake will spend a significant number of years in prison for his crime, and I hope he makes use of that time to come out and make better decisions.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks prosecuted Mr. Lake’s case, and Norfolk Police Detective Cody W. Morgan led the investigation.

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Nov. 7, 2024

Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking 2 Victims at Gunpoint in Norfolk Parking Lots

NORFOLK, Va. — Cameron Thomas Lake, 35, pleaded guilty on Monday to carjacking two individuals at gunpoint earlier this year in the parking lots outside two businesses.

After midnight on April 7, Mr. Lake carjacked a man who had just finished eating inside his car parked at the Sonic drive-in off of North Military Highway. Mr. Lake walked up to the car, pointed a gun to the driver’s window, and demanded that the victim exit his car and leave his phone behind. When the victim got out of his car, Mr. Lake told the victim to walk away and got in the driver’s seat. The victim still had his keys on his person as he was walking away. When Mr. Lake realized he could not start the victim’s car, Mr. Lake got out of the car, ran up to the victim, pointed his gun at the victim again, and demanded his car key. The victim threw his keys on the ground in Mr. Lake’s direction, and Mr. Lake picked them up, commanded the victim to walk away again, got back in the victim’s car, and drove away in it. The victim walked around to the other side of the drive-in lot and asked another patron to call 911 as he watched Mr. Lake drive away in his car. The victim’s car was enabled with GPS tracking, and the victim provided the tracking information to Norfolk Police investigators. Within two hours of the carjacking, officers found the car unoccupied in the parking lot of a strip mall about a mile away from the Sonic.

On the afternoon of April 8, Mr. Lake carjacked another individual in the parking lot of the Home Depot that is also off of Military Highway. The victim was spending her lunch break in her car and talking on the phone when Mr. Lake walked up to her driver’s window, pointed a gun at her, and repeatedly commanded her to hand over her “phones, wallet and keys.” The victim got out of her car, Mr. Lake got in the driver’s seat, and Mr. Lake drove off after throwing out her phone and wallet. This victim’s car was also enabled with GPS tracking, and the victim provided Norfolk Police with the tracking information. Within minutes of the carjacking, officers located this victim’s car while Mr. Lake was still in it and arrested Mr. Lake.

Mr. Lake matched the description that the first victim provided to police, and Mr. Lake was charged for both offenses with two counts of carjacking, two counts of using a firearm to commit carjacking, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Monday, Mr. Lake entered an agreement to plead guilty to both carjacking and felon-firearm charges. In exchange for Mr. Lake’s pleas, the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss the charges of using a firearm. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. Lake’s plea agreement and found him guilty. There is no agreement to Mr. Lake’s sentence, which will be decided by Judge Lindsey on Jan. 17.

“Cameron Lake committed a frightening and violent crime against the victims, who were living their lives and doing nothing wrong,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Fortunately for everyone, nobody was hurt. We will recommend a sentence for Mr. Lake that fits the harm he has caused to the victims and the community.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks is prosecuting Mr. Lake’s case, and Norfolk Police Detective Cody W. Morgan led the investigation.

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