New Haven Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Pandemic Robbery Spree

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM ROSARIO LOPEZ, 40, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 348 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for committing several armed robberies of Connecticut gas stations in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the evidence presented during his trial:

On March 18, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 1302 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. Wearing a black mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, grabbed him by the collar, directed him to walk to the cash register, and struck him in the back of the head as they were walking to the cash register. After the employee provided Rosario Lopez with cash from the register, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.

On March 22, 2020, at approximately 10 p.m., Rosario Lopez entered the Fleet Gas Station located at 1611 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike in Southington. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee provided Rosario Lopez with a small amount of cash and, after explaining that all of the money was already in the safe and that he did not know the combination, Rosario Lopez kicked the employee, ordered him to lay on the floor, and then fled the store.

On March 22, 2020, approximately one hour after the Southington robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 883 Hamilton Avenue in Waterbury. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. After the employee opened the cash register and provided cash to Rosario Lopez, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.

On March 23, 2020, less than two hours after the Waterbury robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 696 Main Street in Ansonia. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee. After the employee was unable to open the cash register quickly, Rosario Lopez fired one round in the direction of employee and then fled. The employee was not struck by the projectile.

On March 26, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Citgo Gas Station located at 788 West Main Street in New Britain. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he waited for another customer to leave the store, approached the counter, pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee opened the cash register and Rosario Lopez took cash from the register drawer. Rosario then fled the store.

Rosario Lopez was arrested on April 9, 2020. In association with his arrest, investigators searched a vehicle he used during the robberies and recovered a silver .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition. He has been detained since his arrest.

On April 28, 2025, the jury found Rosario Lopez guilty of four counts of obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), one count of attempted obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

Rosario Lopez's criminal history includes convictions in New York for attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon, and convictions in Puerto Rico for importation and unlawful possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, threatening a witness, and aggravated robbery.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Vernon, Southington, Waterbury, Ansonia, New Britain, New Haven, and Guilford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, Daniel P. Gordon, and Robert S. Ruff.