Providence man sentenced to state prison for Walmart robberies

A Providence man was sentenced to three to four years in Massachusetts state prison for the armed robbery of multiple televisions from Walmart stores in Seekonk and North Attleboro in 2019, officials said Tuesday.

Luis Adorno, 38, pleaded guilty to charges of armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless driving, larceny and illegal removal of an anti-theft device in Fall River Superior Court on Dec. 21, Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III’s office said in a statement.

“The defendant is a threat to public safety with a history of committing serious crimes,” Quinn said in the statement. “A state prison sentence was warranted.”

He was sentenced to three to four years in state prison, then two years of probation, the statement said.

Adorno stole a 43-inch television from a Walmart in North Attleboro on July 5, 2019 after refusing to show his receipt and removing the theft-detection device, the statement said. He returned to the store on July 7, 2019 and stole two 55-inch televisions.

The next day, Adorno stole another 55-inch television at a Walmart in Seekonk after he was confronted by the manager. He then threatened the manager with a knife and attempted to hit him when he drove away, Quinn’s office said.

The manager let Adorno leave with the television in his car but recorded the incident on his cell phone, the statement said.

Swansea police found Adorno in his Honda Element on Route 6 on July 9, 2019 during rush hour and attempted to stop the car, Quinn’s office said. Adorno then drove directly at the police cruiser, missing the car by inches, and drove over a median toward the Rhode Island border.

Adorno drove at 100 miles per hour, swerving in-and-out of traffic, and then down the breakdown lane, the statement said. Police stopped the chase near the border for safety reasons.

He was later arrested in Rhode Island after being found committing similar crimes, the statement said.