Holyoke Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery

BOSTON – A Holyoke man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield in connection with a string of nine armed robberies of convenience stores across Western Massachusetts.

Alfredo Aldeco, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 13 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Aldeco was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution of $7,375. In March 2024, Aldeco pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of using a firearm in relation to crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

On Nov. 14, 2018 Aldeco, and co-defendant Emilio Rivera, robbed a clerk in a West Springfield convenience store at gunpoint. After forcibly taking cash and cigarettes from the clerk, Aldeco warned the clerk, “If you call the cops, I will come back and kill you.” The firearm used in the robbery was later found during a search of Rivera’s home – in a bedroom being occupied by Aldeco. At the time, Aldeco was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.

The November 2018 robbery was the last in a string of nine robberies that took place in Holyoke, Chicopee, Northampton, West Springfield and Agawam over the two-week period. In each of the robberies, Aldeco held store clerks at gunpoint. In total, Aldeco robbed the stores of almost $8,000 in cash.

On July 6, 2023, Rivera was sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office, prosecuted the case.