United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

HARTFORD MAN CHARGED WITH COMMITTING EIGHT BANK ROBBERIES

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford has returned a 16-count Indictment charging PAUL CANNATA, 26, of Catherine Street, Hartford, with eight counts of bank robbery and eight counts of using a firearm during each robbery.  The Indictment was returned today.

The Indictment alleges that, from May 3, 2007 to November 2, 2007, CANNATA carried a handgun while robbing federally insured banks in Bristol (2), Cromwell, Marlborough, Rocky Hill, Portland, New Britain, and East Windsor.  CANNATA is alleged to have brandished a firearm in seven of the eight bank robberies.  The Indictment alleges that CANNATA seized approximately $232,118 in total from the bank robberies.

If convicted of the charges, CANNATA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count of bank robbery.  He also faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of seven years, a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of seven counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  In addition, CANNATA faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years on the remaining firearm charge, for a total mandatory minimum sentence of 54 years of imprisonment, if he is convicted of all eight firearm charges.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Bristol Police Department, Cromwell Police Department, Rocky Hill Police Department, Portland Police Department, Middletown Police Department, New Britain Police Department, East Windsor Police Department, Berlin Police Department and Newington Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David A. Ring and Jonathan S. Freimann.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov