GREENFIELD — Franklin County Superior Court Judge Tracy Duncan sentenced a Turners Falls man to five to seven years in state prison on Tuesday for three armed robberies committed at a Turners Falls convenience store where he had formerly worked.

Following a five-day trial and jury deliberations that lasted two and a half hours, Raymond Lopez, 29, was convicted on three counts of armed and masked robbery.

Lopez was indicted for robbing the store three times within a span of three weeks last winter — Dec. 28, 2023, Jan. 12, 2024 and Jan. 15, 2024.

Lopez brandished what appeared to be a shotgun at the cashier in the first robbery, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. In the second and third robberies, Lopez waved two large kitchen knives at the employees. One of the cashiers recognized Lopez’s voice from when the two worked together. In total, Lopez made off with $635 and a pack of cigarettes.

Northwestern First Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne sought a state prison sentence of 12 to 15 years on each offense at a sentencing hearing Tuesday, citing Lopez’s criminal record that includes violent crimes, whereas Lopez’s attorney Nora Leovich recommended a sentence of three years probation.

Lopez will receive credit for the 13 months he was held without bail pending trial.

“We thank the jury for holding the defendant accountable for these brazen crimes,” Gagne said in a statement. “These crimes victimized three clerks who were just doing their jobs, and put the entire community on edge.”

Leovich said she planned to appeal the case in a voicemail left to the . Montague Detective Sgt. Joshua Hoffman served as the case’s lead investigator.

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.