Newport News man sentenced to 25 years for series of armed robberies at convenience stores

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Newport News man will serve a 25-year sentence for his role in a series of armed robberies at area convenience stores.

Daniel Zeigler-Irizarry, Jr., 22, was sentenced Thursday in federal court, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Zeigler-Irizarry and other co-conspirators robbed six different stores in four Hampton Roads cities in November and December 2019. They took currency and commercial products, according to the release.

Zeigler-Irizarry and a co-conspirator also stole vehicles to transport them between the “targeted locations.”

Zeigler-Irizarry and the others were found by police after a tracker was concealed in one of the money packs they had stolen from the final robbery location.

The signal from the tracker allowed authorities to track them to a neighborhood in Newport News. When authorities arrived, Zeigler-Irizarry and another person fled at high speeds in a stolen vehicle until they eventually crash.

They were apprehended by police, who found the tracker, a firearm, commercial products, and U.S. currency.

“The defendant and others committed a series of terrifying armed robberies and stole from community members throughout the Hampton Roads region,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will not tolerate the spreading of fear or violence in our neighborhoods, and our residents—including the hard-working entrepreneurs who run these businesses—deserve to feel safe at all times. This case serves as another example of our continued commitment to working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who commit such crimes.”