An anti-Santa Claus who robbed three Massachusetts comfort shops in fast succession on Christmas Eve two years in the past has pleaded responsible in federal court docket.
“This is a 45, get on the ground and empty the register,” Michael Vangpa informed a cashier at his third theft the evening earlier than Christmas 2020, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
Vangpa, 33, of Dracut, pleaded responsible in federal court docket in Boston Thursday to at least one rely of interfering with commerce by theft and one rely of utilizing a firearm in furtherance of against the law of violence. The first crime carries a sentence of as much as 20 years in jail and the second has a compulsory decade in jail.
“Mr. Vangpa’s acts of violence spread panic across the communities he violated and terrorized by committing multiple armed robberies,” U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins mentioned in a press release. “Residents should be able to visit their local businesses without fear.”
Vanga robbed three shops in below an hour, two in Lowell and one other in Tewksbury, in accordance with the U.S. Attorney’s workplace. Each time he held a gun and demanded cash, however he additional escalated the stress every time. In one theft he shot into some cardboard containers below the register and within the others he struck the cashier within the head and ordered a buyer to lie on the bottom.
He struck the primary retailer, a 7-Eleven on Mammoth Road in Lowell, at 2 a.m, in accordance with a court docket doc. He wore a black masks, a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and black gloves. He made off with $60 in money and about $600 value of cigarettes.
Fifteen minutes later, he was at one other 7-Eleven on Chelmsford Street, the charging doc states. Here he acquired “at least” $200.
Twenty minutes later he was on the Circle Okay on Andover Street in Tewksbury, the place he had his biggest success — $1,600 in money, an affidavit states.
“Armed robberies at neighborhood stores make citizens fearful to carry out their daily business in our community,” mentioned James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to pursuing violent offenders to ensure that those who commit violent crimes will be held accountable for their actions.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”