New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)

Feds: New Haven man faces up to 20 years for attempted robbery

- STAFF REPORTS

NEW HAVEN — A city man pleaded guilty Thursday in connection with the attempted robbery of a

New Haven restaurant, during which he allegedly shot an employee, in April 2015, according to federal authoritie­s.

Treizy Lopez, 24, of New Haven, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of attempted interferen­ce with commerce by robbery, federal authoritie­s said in a statement.

In the case, Lopez, Tythrone Ford and another man entered the Smokin’ Wings restaurant, located on Congress Avenue in New Haven, at about 11 p.m. April 11, 2015, and demanded money at gunpoint, federal authoritie­s said in the statement, citing court documents and statements made in court.

“Lopez subsequent­ly discharged a firearm and shot a female employee in the stomach,” federal authoritie­s said in the statement. “Lopez, Ford and their associate then fled the restaurant. Responding New Haven Police officers subsequent­ly located a .22 caliber revolver in a nearby trash can.”

About eight hours before the Smokin’ Wings robbery, Lopez and another individual, armed with handguns, entered Sapiaos Market, located on Lexington Avenue in Bridgeport, and demanded money. During the attempted robbery, the owner of the market, Jose Salgado, was shot and killed, federal authoritie­s said in the statement. Ford was waiting in a car outside of the market during the attempted robbery.

“Forensic analysis of the revolver found in the trash can in New Haven, and projectile­s collected from the scene of both attempted robberies, revealed that the gun was used in both shootings. DNA collected from the gun revealed that both Lopez and Ford possessed the gun.”

Lopez faces up to 20 years in prison; Meyer scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2021.

Ford pleaded guilty to the same charge on September 21, 2021, and awaits sentencing.

Lopez is incarcerat­ed in state custody after being convicted of offenses related to his role in the robbery and homicide at Sapiaos Market, federal authoritie­s said in the statement.

The cold case investigat­ion was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticu­t Forensic Science Laboratory.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, and Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborho­ods program and Project Longevity.

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