Mark Triolo, Armed Robbery, Vermont 2020

Armed Robbery Suspect Sentenced to 75 Months in Jail

Mark Triolo, 47, was sentenced to 75 months in jail for his role in a series of armed robberies in Vermont. The sentencing took place on February 11, 2020, in the United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont.

Triolo pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery. The court also imposed a three-year period of supervised release to be served after Triolo completes his jail sentence.

The robberies occurred in May 2018, starting with the Small City Market in Vergennes. Triolo used a gun to rob the store, making off with approximately $6115 in cash. He was wanted on a parole violation in Texas at the time of the robbery and was also a suspect in a recent robbery in Queensbury, New York.

On May 4, 2018, law enforcement was notified of two more armed robberies: one at the Ascutney Sunoco gas station in Weathersfield and a second armed robbery at the Allen Brothers Farm Market in Westminster. Triolo was later located on the Black Mountain Road in Brattleboro, but fled the scene at a high rate of speed.

During the subsequent pursuit, Triolo was wounded by police gunfire and was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle he was driving recovered a pellet gun that was similar in appearance to an actual semi-automatic pistol and similar to the weapon used in the robberies.

The Vermont Attorney General's Office later determined that the officers involved in the shooting were justified in their use of force against Triolo.

At sentencing, the government urged the court to impose a sentence of 144 months, citing the seriousness of the offense and the danger Triolo poses to the public. However, the court declined and imposed a within-the-guidelines sentence of 75 months.

This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police, the Vergennes Police Department, the Brattleboro Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller represented the government. Triolo was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender David McColgin.

This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/pr/mark-triolo-sentenced-robbery