Defendant in Longmont armed robberies enters plea agreement

Apr. 3—One of the defendants charged in connection with a string of armed robberies in Longmont will serve prison time after entering into a plea agreement.

Kenny Espinoza, 23, pleaded guilty Friday in Boulder District Court to aggravated robbery and felony menacing.

Boulder County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Shannon Carbone said Espinoza will serve 10 to 22 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

"Given the serious nature of his conduct as well as the threat he posed to the victims and community safety, the DA's Office sought a lengthy sentence to state prison for this defendant," Carbone said in a statement. "Given his role in these incidents, a lengthy state prison sentence is the appropriate consequence for his actions."

Espinoza is set for sentencing on May 26.

Espinoza's co-defendant in the case, Nija Droessler, 22, already pleaded guilty to a felony count of aggravated robbery and was sentenced to three years of probation with 90 days of day reporting and 40 hours of community service.

According to police, Espinoza and Droessler committed a string of robberies at Longmont motels, with Espinoza armed with a BB rifle designed to look like a real gun.

Employees of one of the motels reviewed the security footage and were able to identify one of the suspects as Espinoza, who had been an employee there.

Police went to Espinoza's address and placed him into custody, along with Droessler.

Droessler confessed to helping Espinoza with the robberies, and told police what they were wearing at the time.

A search of the apartment also turned up wigs and caps that matched those seen in the surveillance footage. A BB gun matching the weapon used in the robberies was also found on scene.