BOSTON – A brazen string of armed robberies terrorizing convenience stores across Western Massachusetts culminated yesterday with Alfredo Aldeco, 38, of Holyoke, pleading guilty in federal court. Aldeco admitted to holding up nine stores over a two-week period in late October and early November 2018, brandishing a firearm and threatening clerks for cash and cigarettes.
The robberies spanned Holyoke, Chicopee, Northampton, West Springfield, and Agawam, each following the same terrifying pattern: Aldeco would enter the store, point a gun, and demand money. In one particularly chilling instance, during a November 14, 2018 robbery in West Springfield, Aldeco threatened a clerk, stating, “If you call the cops, I will come back and kill you.” The weapon used in that robbery was later recovered during a search of the home of co-defendant Emilio Rivera, specifically in a bedroom occupied by Aldeco.
Aldeco’s criminal history further complicates matters. He was already prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. This adds another layer to the charges he now faces, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law and a willingness to escalate his criminal behavior. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) traced the weapon and built the case linking Aldeco to the series of robberies.
Rivera, Aldeco’s accomplice, was previously sentenced on July 6, 2023, receiving six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. While Rivera is already behind bars, Aldeco now awaits his fate. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni has scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024, where Aldeco will likely face a substantial prison term.
Aldeco pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, a charge carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He also admitted to using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory minimum of seven years and potentially life in prison, plus five years of supervised release and another $250,000 fine. Finally, the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The announcement came from Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Boston Field Division. The successful prosecution was also aided by the Massachusetts State Police and the police departments of West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton, and Springfield. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office, is leading the prosecution. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by armed criminals and the commitment of federal and local law enforcement to bring them to justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Raughn Williams, Armed Car Chase, Massachusetts 2023 · Connecticut
- Emilio Rivera, Armed Robbery, Springfield MA, 2023 · Massachusetts
- Michael Moriarty, Sex Offender Registration Failure, Massachusetts · Massachusetts
- Michael Browne, Selling Firearm to Felon, Massachusetts 2010 · Massachusetts
- Charlie D. Vick, Gun Theft from Licensed Dealer, Massachusetts 2018 · Massachusetts
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