Logan man pleads guilty to armed robbery outside fast food restaurant

Booking photo for Luis A. Maldanado (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)

LOGAN — A 31-year-old Logan man has admitted to robbing a group outside a fast food restaurant almost a year ago. Luis A. Maldanado accepted a plea deal to lesser charges, in hopes of a lighter sentence.

Maldanado participated in a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Wednesday morning, appearing by web conference from the Cache County Jail. He pleaded guilty to two amended counts of attempted aggravated robbery and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, all second-degree felonies.

Defense attorney John Easton explained that as part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped two remaining charges against Maldanado. They also agreed to ask for the charges to run together at the time of sentencing.

On Oct. 13, Logan City police officers were called to the north Burger King, near 1030 N. Main on report of the burglary. Multiple witnesses described how Maldanado, Matthew K. Archuleta and a juvenile had placed an order in the drive-through lane. As they were waiting for their food, Archuleta walked into the restaurant and began arguing with the employees about the delay.

He returned to his vehicle to continue waiting and proceeded to start arguing with another group, in a neighboring car. As the confrontation continued, Maldanado and the teenage boy brandished a shotgun and handgun, robbing the occupants of the other vehicle.

The suspects never fired either weapon. They took an undisclosed amount of cash and drove away.
According to prosecutors, Maldanado was on parole at the time of the robbery after previously being convicted of felony drug possession.

In March, Archuleta accepted a similar plea deal to lesser charges. He was later sentenced to three years probation after serving 230 days in jail.

During Wednesday’s court appearance, Judge Brian Cannell accepted Maldanado’s plea deal and scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15.

Maldanado didn’t talk about the robbery and spoke only briefly, telling the court he was “guilty.” He could face up to 15 years in prison.


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