West St. Paul man sentenced to 8 years in prison for armed robberies of Twin Cities restaurants, gas stations

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A 30-year-old West St. Paul was sentenced to more than eight years in prison Wednesday for a series of armed robberies of Twin Cities restaurants and gas stations last year.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis announced the 97-month sentence for Delfonzo Wallace after he pleaded guilty to eight counts of violating the Hobbs Act. Wallace will also make restitution payments to the businesses robbed between April and September 2019.

The FBI investigated the violent robberies. In some of the robberies in St. Paul’s West Seventh neighborhood, business owners reported to police he would approach employees early in the morning when the stores were opening, take out a handgun and threaten to harm victims who did not cooperate.

The businesses included Starbucks, Speedway, Wendy’s Shuang Hur Supermarket, McDonald’s and Spitz restaurant.

He stole more than $20,000 cash in the robberies and will pay $20,868.23 in restitution to the businesses for 11 separate robberies.