HARTFORD, Conn. — A Bristol man and woman are accused of committing dozens of robberies in numerous Connecticut towns in September and October, according to the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut.
Lonny Cross, 44, and Rebecca Barbera, 40, were federally indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday of conspiring to commit robberies across the state in a six-week span.
Police departments from all over the state investigated more than 30 robberies at gas station convenience stores, mini-marts, and liquor stores that happened between September 5 and October 13.
These robberies happened in North Branford, Waterbury, Wolcott, Plymouth, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, West Haven, Wethersfield, Bristol, Southington, Naugatuck, Watertown, Franklin, Norwich, Waterford, Groton City, Stonington, Ledyard, Darien, Norwalk, Stratford, and Seymour.
Several of the robberies happened on the same day, just minutes apart, including one Friday night in September when several businesses were robbed at gunpoint in the Naugatuck valley. The arrest affidavit for Barbera lists the same stores that were hit on that night.
Cross would travel to a victim store with Barbera, who would go into the store and count the number of employees and customers in the store, and then would report her findings to Cross. Cross would then go into the store, display a weapon, either a knife or a gun, and rob the store of cash and other items. In several cases, a dark-colored getaway vehicle was reported.
A court-authorized search on Oct. 14 of Cross and Barbera's residence found a black 2014 Chevy Impala that Cross was known to drive. Further inspection of the residence revealed clothing consistent with that worn by the suspect in several of the robberies, as well as 54 bags of suspected heroin, a quantity of suspected crack cocaine, and narcotics paraphernalia. A search of the car revealed another 120 bags of suspected heroin, approximately 14 grams of crack, and a knit hat matching the description of one worn by the suspect during a robbery the day before.
Cross, who was on state parole, was arrested on state charges on that date. He has been detained since his arrest.
Barbara was arrested on October 28 on a federal criminal complaint and is currently released on a $10,000 bond.
The indictment charges Cross and Barbera with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Cross is also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin, an offense that also carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
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