Boston man sentenced for serial robberies of elderly victims

BOSTON, January 12, 2026, – EDWIN SANTO, 23, of Boston, was sentenced today in Suffolk Superior Court after being convicted last month of a string of robberies against elderly victims over the summers of 2023 and 2024, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.  

Judge Mark Hallal sentenced Santo to 10-12 years in state prison for five counts of unarmed robbery of a person 60 and over, an additional two years and a day in state prison for one count of breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, and three years of probation after release.

Between June 10, 2023 and August 11, 2024, Santo committed six robberies of elderly people in Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. In the first five incidents, Santo stole necklaces from around the neck of his victims. In one of those cases he broke into a private residence to do so. In the sixth robbery, Santo wore a mask and robbed two elderly people of their necklaces at gunpoint. Santo was arrested by federal agents in Philadelphia after Boston investigators tracked his location to Pennsylvania.

The victim of the breaking and entering incident, who is also the daughter of one of the elderly victims, delivered an impact statement, stating Santo “is young and could have taken a different route in life and tried to find a job or hustled to make ends meet but decided to target a vulnerable population.” Judge Hallal also noted that many of the victims were immigrants who have worked hard for what they have, and Santo could have done the same. 

“Edwin Santo made calculated, cold-hearted decisions to prey on those with the least ability to defend themselves. He stole from many who came to America and earned their keep through honest, hard work—exactly the opposite of his approach. He’s now paying an appropriate penalty for his life choices,” Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications