Man convicted in robbery spree across King County

Published 5:02 pm Tuesday, April 7, 2026

A man accused of going on a robbery spree with a juvenile in 2022, committing over 30 robberies throughout King County, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.

On April 3, Duke Vivao, 24, of the Skyway area, was sentenced to 129 months in prison — nearly 11 years — for 10 counts of robbery, one count of second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and three counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

According to charging documents, these charges stem from about 36 incidents where Vivao, alongside a 15-year-old and another unidentified suspect, robbed multiple businesses, often a handful in a day, over a span of 15 days.

With an offender score of 26, Vivao’s sentencing range for first-degree robbery was between 129 and 171 months. Following Vivao’s guilty plea on March 2, the prosecution asked the court to sentence Vivao to the minimum of 129 months. Despite Vivao pleading to many other charges, the sentences are each to run at the same time, making his total sentence 129 months.

Probable cause documents stated that Vivao participated in 36 robberies, but he was charged with 10 of them. Additionally, he initially was charged with two counts of second-degree assault, but one of those counts was dismissed as part of his plea agreement. His sentence will not include a firearm enhancement, which would usually extend his sentence by a varying number of years.

Vivao’s defense counsel requested that he serve an exceptional downward sentence of 84 months — seven years. Vivao’s defense stated in court documents that the basis for Vivao receiving an exceptional sentence included that Vivao was young when these crimes occurred, he had multiple life issues contributing to his behavior, he had a substance use problem, he wants to be a good father to his two kids and that he is repentant.

• The first robbery on Nov. 2, 2022: On this day, one armed robbery occurred. Documents state that the first robbery occurred at 4:50 p.m. at the GameStop in Auburn, 1118 Outlet Collection Way. In this incident, two males entered the Gamestop, pulled out a handgun and demanded money. Additionally, the suspects stole four PlayStation controllers. The faces of the suspects were captured in this incident.

• Nov. 4, 2022, robberies: On this day, two armed robberies occurred. The first robbery occurred at about 11:53 a.m. at a GameStop in Covington, where one of the males pulled out a gun and stole about $410. Then, at 10:22 p.m., a 76 gas station was robbed in SeaTac, where a suspect who matched the GameStop suspect’s description threatened to “blow the clerk’s head off” before taking money.

• Nov. 6, 2022, robberies: On this day, two armed robberies occurred in Federal Way in less than 20 minutes. The first was at about 8:37 p.m. at a 76 gas station in the 2500 block of South 320th St. The second armed robbery was at about 8:47 p.m. at an ampm gas station in the 27000 block of Pacific Highway South.

• Nov. 7, 2022, robbery: On this day, one armed robbery occurred at about 5 p.m. This incident occurred at a Chevron gas station in the 1400 block of Outlet Collection Way Southwest. In this case, two suspects robbed a clerk at gunpoint, taking between $300 and $400.

• Nov. 9, 2022, robbery: On this day, three armed robberies occurred. The first was at about 7:10 p.m. in Des Moines at a 7-Eleven, the second was at about 7:20 p.m. in the 12000 block of Ambaum Boulevard Southwest at a Shell gas station in Burien, and the third was at about 7:46 p.m. in the 18000 block of East Valley Highway in Kent at a Chevron gas station.

• Nov. 10, 2022, robberies: On this day, there were six armed robberies and one attempted armed robbery. The first armed robbery occurred at 2:20 p.m., and the last occurred at 5:43 p.m. The first was at a Denny’s in Kent, the second was at a GameStop in Tukwila, the third was at a smoke shop in Renton, the fourth was at a 7-Eleven in unincorporated King County, the fifth was at another 7-Eleven in unincorporated King County, and the sixth was at a gas station in unincorporated King County. There was one attempted robbery in a parking lot in unincorporated King County that was unsuccessful.

• Nov. 11, 2022, robberies: On this day, there were four armed robberies. The first occurred at 4:54 p.m., and the last occurred at 8:50 p.m. The first was at a Qdoba in Tukwila, the second was at a Subway in Kent, the third was at a 7-Eleven in Auburn and the last of that day was at a Chevron gas station in Kent. On this day, officers also located two abandoned stolen vehicles they believed the suspects had used. Fingerprints later confirmed that Vivao used them.

• Nov. 12-13, 2022, robberies: On this day, there were seven armed robberies, with the last occurring before 1 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022. The first occurred at about 11:30 p.m., and the last occurred at about 12:44 a.m. on Nov. 13. The first was at a Shell gas station in Seattle, the second was at an ampm gas station in Renton, the third was at a Chevron gas station in Tukwila, the fourth was at an ampm gas station in Renton, the fifth was at another ampm gas station in Renton, the sixth was at a 76 gas station in unincorporated King County, and the seventh was at a Shell gas station in Renton.

• Nov. 14-15, 2022, robberies: On this day, there were six robberies, with the last occurring just after midnight Nov. 15, 2022. The first occurred at about 11:35 a.m., and the last occurred at about 12:34 a.m. Nov. 15. The first was at the West Coast Boutique in Tukwila, the second was at a La Quinta hotel in SeaTac, the third was at a Chevron gas station in Burien, the fourth was at a Chevron gas station in SeaTac, the fifth was at a Hilton Garden Inn in Renton, and the sixth was at a Shell gas station in Burien.

• Nov. 17, 2022, robberies: On this day, there were three robberies. The first occurred at 7:27 p.m., and the last occurred at 8:12 p.m. The first was at a 76 gas station in Renton, the second was at a Shell gas station in Kent and the third was at another 76 gas station in Covington.

Identifying the suspects and subsequent arrests

Documents state that Vivao was identified as a suspect when a bulletin listing the suspects was sent to law enforcement agencies in the area. Vivao was further identified by his Soundcloud account, which depicted him wearing the same clothes as the suspects. Videos on the phones of others involved that show Vivao wearing the same clothes as the suspects on the same day the robberies occurred and through fingerprints.

Vivao’s 15-year-old codefendant was identified by video showing him at the scenes as well as Vivao’s statements confirming his presence at the robberies.

Vivao’s codefendant was arrested on Nov. 17, 2022, during the last robbery in Covington when the suspects were leaving the scene, and a citizen rammed their vehicle with his vehicle, disabling both vehicles. In that incident, Vivao shot at the citizen a total of three times, hitting his vehicle, but not injuring the citizen.

Vivao’s codefendant was located in the woods and then taken to jail. Vivao was not arrested that day, and he stated that he took a bus to Seattle after fleeing the scene.

Vivao was arrested on Dec. 15, 2022, and then questioned by police. When questioned, Vivao confessed to most aspects of each crime, according to documents. However, Vivao did not share who the third suspect involved in the robberies was.

Vivao stated that he only went into the business during one robbery, but that in all the others, he acted as a getaway driver while his 15-year-old accomplice went into the businesses. He told officers that he was involved in between 30 and 40 robberies, and he stole about a dozen Kias and Hyundais. Vivao stated that he obtained between $3,000 and $4,000 from the robberies, but that he and his accomplices obtained about $15,000 in total.

Vivao stated that he gave most of the money to his children’s mother. He stated that the most money they had ever obtained from a single robbery was $10,000 from a gas station safe in Des Moines. When officers asked Vivao what he would tell the victims, he stated that he regretted his actions and that he was sorry.

“Vivao explained that when they would ‘hit one,’ that it ‘really makes our adrenaline rush,’ that looking at the money would make them want to do another one, and another one, and another,” documents state. “I asked him what the most robberies was that they had done in one night and he replied, ‘Probably like 7, 8.’ I asked him if he remembered a night where they did a bunch of robberies in Skyway and he replied, ‘That one was crazy. That one was like the fastest we did… Felt like a movie to be honest.’”