Emilio Rivera, Armed Robbery, Massachusetts 2023

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Emilio Rivera, 34, of Springfield, will spend the next six years behind bars after being sentenced for a brazen armed robbery and a cache of illegal firearms discovered at his home. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni handed down the sentence on July 6, 2023, following Rivera’s guilty plea in March 2019.

The November 14, 2019 robbery targeted a West Springfield convenience store. Rivera, along with alleged co-defendant Alfredo Aldeco, reportedly stormed the store and held a clerk at gunpoint. While the clerk wasn’t physically harmed, the threat of violence was clear, according to sources close to the investigation. The pair made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Following the robbery, law enforcement moved quickly, securing a search warrant for Rivera’s Springfield residence. Inside, investigators discovered not one, but two firearms, along with ammunition. Crucially, Rivera was already prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction – a fact that significantly escalated the charges against him.

Rivera ultimately pleaded guilty to three federal charges: interference with commerce by robbery, using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The six-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes and the defendant’s disregard for the law, according to prosecutors. He will also face three years of supervised release after his prison term concludes.

Alfredo Aldeco, Rivera’s alleged accomplice, remains free and has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the robbery. He is currently awaiting trial, and the outcome of his case remains to be seen. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, with valuable support from the Massachusetts State Police and multiple local departments including West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton and Springfield.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Boston Field Division, jointly announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Levy’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case, bringing Rivera to justice for his violent actions and illegal firearm possession.

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