Arthur Santiful, Armed Robbery Spree, Virginia 2015

NORFOLK, Va. — Arthur Santiful, 27, of Suffolk, was handed 59 years in federal prison today for a six-week rampage of armed robbery that terrorized convenience stores, a hotel, and a pizza delivery driver across South Hampton Roads and the Peninsula in 2015. The sentence caps a violent crime spree that left victims shaken and communities on edge.

Santiful was convicted on all counts after a four-day jury trial ending Sept. 12, 2016. Prosecutors proved he and co-conspirator Michael Zeigler, armed with handguns, hit eight 7-Eleven locations, a hotel, and a delivery driver at gunpoint between August and September 2015. Witnesses testified Santiful fired at one victim, pistol-whipped another, and threatened clerks with death if they didn’t hand over cash and cigarettes.

Charged with 10 counts of armed robbery, two counts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Santiful showed no remorse, forcing the government to try the case to conclusion. U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente stated, “Violent crime will be met with significant consequences.” He contrasted Santiful’s defiance with Zeigler’s cooperation.

Michael Zeigler pleaded guilty and accepted responsibility for his role. On Dec. 20, 2016, he was sentenced to 14 years — a stark difference from Santiful’s 59-year term. Authorities emphasized that choices matter: those who own their crimes face justice, but those who force trials after clear guilt face the full weight of the law.

The case was jointly investigated by the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, ATF’s Washington Field Division, and police chiefs from Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Newport News, and Hampton. U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen handed down the sentence, calling the string of armed robberies a direct assault on public safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Andrew Bosse, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, prosecuted the case. Court records, including Case No. 2:15-cr-160, are available via the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the District Court’s website, or PACER.