Man Pleads Guilty To Roseville Quiznos Robbery

A 25-year-old man earlier today (Thursday) pleaded guilty in federal court to the New Year’s Eve armed robbery of a Quiznos sandwich shop in Roseville, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis reported. 

Michael Scott Luedtke, no known address, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, pursuant to the Hobbs Act, and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, according to an U.S. Attorney's news statement.

The federal legal office said the following news release:

"In his plea agreement, Luedtke admitted that at about 11 a.m. , Dec.  31, 2011 he entered the sandwich shop, armed with a sawed-off shotgun. While brandishing the weapon, he demanded the employees give him all the money in the cash register.

Before any money was turned over, the store manager ran from the shop. Luedtke followed him into the parking lot, grabbed him, put the shotgun to his head, and uttered, “Boom.” Luedtke then ran to a stolen vehicle and drove away from the scene.

Authorities apprehended Luedtke later that evening.
According to the plea agreement, Luedtke also admitted that on Dec. 31, 2011, at about 1 p.m., only a couple hours after the attempted robbery of the Roseville Quiznos shop, he robbed the Subway sandwich shop in Newport, Minnesota.  Armed with a sawed-off shotgun, Luedtke got away with about $154.

On Dec. 29, 2011, Luedtke robbed a Subway sandwich shop in Roseville of about $310, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
For his crimes, Luedtke faces a potential maximum penalty of life in prison for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. That offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years. He also faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years for robbery under the Hobbs Act.

Judge Doty is expected to determine Luedtke's sentence with the hearing yet to be scheduled.
The Hobbs Act, passed by Congress in 1946, allows federal prosecutors to prosecute violent habitual criminals who commit armed robberies in places of business that involve interstate commerce, the Attorney's Office said.

"Federal prosecution of these cases is sometimes beneficial since federal penalties are often tougher than those imposed under state law. Moreover, because the federal system has no parole, those who receive federal sentences serve virtually their entire prison terms behind bars."
Various law enforcement agencies colloborated on the Luedtke investigation including the Roseville Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carol Kayser and Thomas Hollenhorst prosecuted the case.

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