Man with lengthy criminal record sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and armed robbery at Wendy’s

A 61-year-old Massachusetts man with a lengthy record of convictions who kidnapped and robbed a Seekonk Wendy’s employee was sentenced to life in prison today after being convicted following a week-long trial in Fall River Superior Court.

Todd Johnson was convicted by a jury of his pers of armed and masked robbery and kidnapping. He was also found to be a “habitual criminal” under Massachusetts law, which enhanced his prison penalty.

On March 12, 2018, at 4:00 a.m., the female victim was leaving her job at Wendy’s in Seekonk alone. When she reached her car, a masked Johnson approached and put a gun to her and demanded her deposit bags. The victim explained she had no money, at which point Johnson forced her to empty her pockets. She pulled out her cell phone, which Johnson took from her. He then forced her back into the restaurant at gun point to open up the safe. Inside the restaurant surveillance cameras caught the incident. The victim was unable to open the safe because it was on a timer. Johnson then tried to tie up the victim with zip ties. At that point, the victim began pleading with Johnson and told him there were silent alarms throughout the restaurant. This spooked him and caused him to flee the restaurant. The victim immediately called 911 from the office phone and then hid in the walk-in freezer until police arrived.

Johnsson was arrested a short time later at Stateline Auto just over the border in East Providence, RI, while hiding under a car.

The defendant was initially held without bail as a danger but was ultimately released due to Covid. After his release, he committed a larceny offense in Suffolk and had his bail revoked. He eventually was released again and committed an Armed/ Masked Robbery in Jamaica Plain. He has since been indicted as a Habitual Offender in Suffolk County. He has served lengthy state prison sentences in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s for similar crimes and drug distribution offenses.

Since he qualified as a “habitual criminal,” he was sentenced today by Judge Daniel O’Shea to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

“The defendant is a career criminal who was released on this case during the pandemic only to then commit another armed robbery in Boston. The defendant has a long history of committing armed robberies and this sentence was necessary to protect the public from this habitual criminal,” District Attorney Quinn said.

The case was prosecuted by Co-First Assistant District Attorney Karen O’Sullivan.