West Saint Paul Man Pleads Guilty To Armed Robberies Of Several Twin Cities Restaurants And Gas Stations

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of DELFONZO DENELL WALLACE, 30, to eight counts of interference with commerce by robbery, known as the Hobbs Act. The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery affecting interstate or foreign commerce “in any way or degree.” WALLACE, who was charged by an Information on February 20, 2020, entered his guilty plea today before Senior U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, between June 14, 2019, and October 10, 2019, WALLACE, while armed with a dangerous weapon, robbed, in violation of the Hobbs Act, eight separate Twin Cities businesses that were engaged in interstate commerce, including Starbucks, Speedway, Wendy’s, Shuang Hur Supermarket, McDonald’s, and Spitz restaurant. During the robberies, WALLACE used actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury against victim employees to steal over $15,000 cash belonging to the businesses and employees. As part of the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, WALLACE agreed, under the Mandatory Victim Restitution Act, to make restitution to these businesses, as well as to three other business that were robbed between April and September 2019.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, and other local police departments.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.

Defendant Information:

DELFONZO DENELL WALLACE, 30

West St. Paul, Minn.

Convicted:

    Interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), 8 counts