New Haven Man Admits to 6 Bank Robberies

New Haven Man Admits to 6 Bank Robberies

A New Haven man has admitted to committing six bank robberies in Connecticut and New York, stealing a total of $18,830. Juan Cruz, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery in U.S. District Court in New Haven.

Cruz robbed the Santander Bank at 215 Grand Avenue in New Haven on October 15, 2015, and the Wells Fargo Bank at 205 Church Street in New Haven on October 20, November 7, and November 21, 2015. He also robbed the Bank of America at 157 Church Street in New Haven on November 9, 2015, and the Citizens Bank at 10 North Pearl Street in Albany, N.Y., on November 20, 2015.

Cruz was arrested on November 21, 2015, in Chicopee, Mass., and has been detained since his arrest. Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer scheduled sentencing for December 20, 2016, at which time Cruz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Chicopee (Mass.) Police Department, and Albany (N.Y.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

Cruz’s guilty plea brings an end to a string of bank robberies that terrorized the communities of New Haven and Albany. The people of these cities can now rest easier knowing that the man responsible for these crimes is behind bars.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven Police Department are to be commended for their tireless efforts in bringing Cruz to justice the man responsible for these crimes.