North Texas home-invasion robber pretending to be Door Dasher gets 45 years
A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Dec. 18 for an armed robbery in which he pretended to be a delivery driver to steal cryptocurrency, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Abdias Espinoza pleaded guilty to burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit aggravated robbery and aggravated robbery, according to the DA’s Office.
Espinoza, 19-year-old Rodney Hill, and a 17-year-old organized a premeditated armed home invasion in the 5300 block of Tiffin Drive in North Richland Hills in December 2024, authorities said.
The suspects pretended to be DoorDash delivery drivers and ambushed the homeowner, “pistol-whipping” him, threatening to kill his family and demanding money from his cryptocurrency wallet, according to the release.
The homeowner’s wife called 911 while hiding with her children. When police responded, the suspects heard sirens and ran off, and all three were arrested, the DA’s Office said.
According to court records, after the sentencing, defense attorneys representing Espinoza filed a motion requesting a new trial and appealed his case to the Texas Second Court of Appeals.
The appeals court clerk responded with a letter stating that the trial court certified that “this is a plea-bargain case and appellant has no right of appeal. Unless appellant or any party desiring to continue the appeal files with the court, on or before Thursday, January 8, 2026, a response showing grounds for continuing the appeal, the appeal may be dismissed.”
The attorney’s office said on Tuesday that the defense is waiting for further clarification from the courts and declined further comment.
Hill is in the Tarrant County Jail and faces the same charges as Espinoza. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 15, according to court records.