Man sentenced to 10-13 years in violent Wilmington game store robbery
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison after pleading guilty in connection with a violent armed robbery at a local game store earlier this year.
According to the District Attorney’s Office for North Carolina’s Sixth Prosecutorial District, Joseph Trevor Wilson, 36, pleaded guilty on June 29, 2026 in New Hanover County Superior Court to multiple charges stemming from the January 6, 2026 robbery of Video Game Time on Princess Street.
Prosecutors say Wilson entered the store posing as a customer before attacking an employee with pepper spray, restraining him with zip ties, and threatening him with what appeared to be a handgun tucked into his waistband. Wilson then stole cash, a cellphone, and nearly $21,000 worth of Pokémon trading cards before fleeing the scene.
Investigators said surveillance footage from nearby businesses helped track Wilson’s movements before and after the robbery, and the victim provided a description of the suspect.
Wilson was arrested five days later during a traffic stop. Authorities said a search of his belongings turned up a BB pistol believed to have been used in the robbery, along with cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Investigators also found a notebook containing a drawing of a Pokémon symbol on the date of the robbery and the word “payday” written for the following day.
After his arrest, Wilson admitted to the robbery, though he claimed two other men pressured him to carry it out over an alleged debt. Authorities later recovered several of the stolen trading cards after two individuals attempted to sell them at a game store in Fayetteville.
Wilson pleaded guilty to robbery with a dangerous weapon, second-degree kidnapping, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 10.6 to 13.8 years in prison.
The case stems from a robbery that drew community attention earlier this year after the store’s owner publicly asked for help identifying the suspect and recovering the stolen merchandise. Video Game Time reported the loss of high-value Pokémon cards and other items during the January incident, which also left an employee injured and shaken.
The District Attorney’s Office says the sentence reflects the violent nature of the crime and the impact on the victim.
