21 years in prison for robber who hit 7 Twin Cities retailers in two days

A gang member who has been committing violent crimes for decades has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for hitting a string of Twin Cities retail outlets during an armed-robbery spree in the summer of 2020.

Derrick L. Spillman, 41, of Minneapolis, was given a term Thursday just shy of 22 years by U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in connection with the holdups of four gas stations, two liquor stores and a Subway restaurant.

Spillman, described by the prosecution as a longtime Crips gang member, pleaded guilty in August to seven counts of robbery and a weapons-related charge.

Montgomery's sentence landed at the bottom of federal guidelines, which placed the top end at 27 ¹⁄₄ years.

Prosecutors in their pre-sentence filing sought a term of 25 years. They pointed to his criminal history as an adult that includes auto theft in 2001, and numerous and sometimes violent armed robberies continuing for many more years.

Even while in prison, according to prosecutors, Spillman's violent ways continued.

"The defendant is a documented Crips gang member, [and] has assaulted another inmate has been caught with contraband, made threatening remarks to prison staff, and was found with documentation about personal information of corrections officers," the prosecution's pre-sentence filing read. "He has a poor record on supervised release, with numerous violations and a record of absconding from supervision."

Court records spelled out each robbery carried out by Spillman in late July 2020, at times with another suspect:

On July 28, 2020, Spillman and his accomplice robbed a Holiday gas station at 1444 E. Minnehaha Av. in St. Paul, Sharrett's Liquor at 2389 W. University Av. in St. Paul and Gopher Liquor at 335 NE. Monroe St. in Minneapolis.

Two days later, Spillman alone held up a Holiday at 7295 NE. University Av. in Fridley, a Speedway gas station at 6545 West River Road in Brooklyn Center, a Subway at 2147 N. Lowry Av. in Minneapolis and a Holiday at 9456 N. 27th Av. in New Hope.

State court records show that Spillman was convicted of attempted simple robbery in 2004 and aggravated first-degree robbery in 2008, and again in 2013.