Hartford Man Charged with Committing 7 Robberies and a Carjacking Last Summer

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a grand jury sitting in Hartford has returned a superseding indictment charging ARNO SMITH, 56, of Hartford, with committing seven robberies and a carjacking last summer.

On November 6, 2018, the grand jury returned a one-count indictment alleging that, on July 26, 2018, Smith used threats of violence to steal a 2006 Honda Accord from a victim in Hartford.

An eight-count superseding indictment, which was returned on April 3, adds seven counts of interference with commerce by robbery and alleges that Smith robbed the Price Chopper supermarket located at 121 Farmington Avenue in Bristol on July 27; the Price Chopper supermarket located at 410 Queen Street in Southington on September 4; the U-Haul Moving and Storage located at 755 Capitol Avenue in Hartford on September 5; the Home Depot located at 55 Granby Street in Bloomfield on September 15; the Lowe’s Home Improvement located at 31 Buckland Hills Drive in South Windsor on September 16; the Days Inn located at 185 Ella Grasso Turnpike in Windsor Locks on September 18, and the U-Haul Moving and Storage located at 3197 Main Street in Hartford on September 19.

Smith has been detained since September 20, 2018, when he was arrested on related state charges.

The charge of carjacking carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and the charge of interference with commerce by robbery carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford, Bristol, Southington, Bloomfield, South Windsor, Windsor Locks, Farmington and West Hartford Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

This prosecution has been brought though Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.