Reinaldo Fuentes-Nietzsche is charged with robbing El Ranchito in Green Bay at gunpoint Feb. 17, 2024. (Photo source: Brown County Jail)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Reinaldo Fuentes-Nietzsche was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for the armed robbery at the restaurant where his girlfriend worked, during which $28,500 was stolen.
Fuentes-Nietzsche, 26, previously pleaded no contest to armed robbery with a threat of force for the Feb. 17 incident at El Ranchito on S. Webster Avenue.
He was also placed on extended supervision for five years by Judge Timothy Hinkfuss, and he must write a letter of apology to the restaurant. Police recovered $6,000, leaving $22,500 for him to pay in restitution.
Before the sentence was issued, Fuentes-Nietzsche apologized for his actions. He said knows made a mistake, but was trying to support his family.
“I am changed man and will never put myself in a situation like this, ever,” he said.
Fuentes-Nietzsche is currently in prison until January on an unrelated case. This sentence will be served after that is completed.
His girlfriend and mother of his children, Abigail Guerrero, is also charged. She returns to court Nov. 18 for a status conference on a charge of being party to armed robbery.
According to the criminal complaint, Fuentes-Nietzsche entered the store, showed a gun, and told the clerk, “Give me everything right now or I’ll shoot both of you right now!”
El Ranchito’s owner told police he initially estimated up to $20,000 was stolen, because he had filled the cash register with cash for people cashing checks.
Police also interviewed one of the clerks who was on duty during the robbery, Abigail Guerrero. She was dating Fuentes-Nietzsche, and knew that he planned to rob the store “when the boss was not there,” the complaint states.
“Abigail said that Reinaldo would frequently bring her food in the past and was aware of when the boss was there and when he left,” she said, according to the complaint.
She identified the gun used the in robbery, and said Fuentes-Nietzsche used the money from the heist to purchase a Mercedes, pay off some debts, buy shoes, and purchase marijuana for resale.
After his arrest, Fuentes-Nietzsche confirmed Guerrero knew of the robbery plans.
“Reinaldo told (an officer) about feeling guilty for not having money or being able to provide for his family. He expressed remorse and appeared sincere that he regretted committing the robbery, as he cried during the interview and said that he wished he could go back and never had done it,” the complaint states.
Fuentes-Nietzsche estimated the take was about $13,000.
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