Dracut Man Charged With Christmas Eve Tewksbury Store Robbery

Tewksbury MA

13 August, 2021

4:28 PM

Description

TEWKSBURY, MA — A Dracut man was arrested Thursday and charged in connection with armed robberies at three Lowell and Tewksbury convenience stores on Christmas Eve 2020, federal prosecutors said. Michael Vangpa, 32, was charged with interfering with commerce by robbery and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to prosecutors, on Dec. 24, 2020, Vangpa robbed a Tewksbury convenience store and two Lowell convenience stores within an hour. In each robbery, he brandished a gun and demanded money from the clerks, prosecutors said. In one case, he fired the gun, they said. He appeared before a district court judge Friday and was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Monday. Vangpa could face up to 20 years in prison for the charge of interference with commerce by robbery and up to life in prison for the charge of firing a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence. All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.