Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found Geoffrey Shapiro, 44, of Windsor Locks, guilty of two robberies committed in February 2020. The trial took place before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden and began on January 8, with the jury delivering its verdicts this morning.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that on February 9, 2020, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Shapiro entered a Dunkin’ Donuts located at 142 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury. He placed an order before displaying a small handgun and pointing it at the employee behind the register. Shapiro demanded money twice from the employee, who handed over approximately $390. After receiving the money, Shapiro thanked the employee and left the store.
On February 21, 2020, Shapiro targeted Webster Bank at 141 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury. At the teller counter, he handed over a note instructing to "Stay calm" and claiming "I have a gun." The teller complied by giving him $1,837 from her drawer. After retrieving his note back from the teller, Shapiro exited the bank. He was later arrested by Glastonbury Police at his residence on that same day.
A court-authorized search of Shapiro’s vehicle on February 22 uncovered several pieces of evidence including a handgun used during the bank robbery, clothing worn during both robberies, and the demand note from Webster Bank.
Shapiro was convicted of one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), which carries up to 20 years imprisonment, as well as one count of armed bank robbery with another maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for each offense.
Currently released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing—which has not yet been scheduled—Shapiro awaits further legal proceedings.
The investigation was conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and police departments from Glastonbury, Simsbury, and Westfield (Massachusetts). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth are prosecuting this case.