Three men charged in connection with string of convenience store, smoke shop robberies across Connecticut

Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant
·1 min read

Three men were indicted in federal court Wednesday on charges in connection to a string of robberies at retail locations across the state, according to federal authorities.

Efrain Deleon, 58, and Gilberto Deleon, 56, both of New Britain, and Steven Galarza, 24, of Seymour, were each charged with eight counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit Hobby Act Robbery, according to federal authorities. If convicted, the three face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years on each count.

The indictment alleges that fake firearms, designed to appear as real firearms, were used in eight robberies at convenience stores and smoke shops where cash, cigarettes and other items were stolen between late February and mid-March. According to federal authorities, locations included:

  • Feb. 27: Scott’s Village Mobil Gas Station, 843 Farmington Avenue, Farmington

  • March 2: Mystic Mobil Gas Station, 66 Whitehall Avenue, Mystic

  • March 3: Shell Gas Station, 168 Bridge Street, East Windsor

  • March 3: Food Bag, 960 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Southington

  • March 5: Valero Gas Station, 1 Main Street, Ellington

  • March 5: Sunoco Gas Station, 446 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor

  • March 8: Smoker’s Discount World, 636 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield

  • March 16: Cove Smoke Market, located at 841 Cove Road, Stamford

All three were arrested on April 19 on a federal criminal complaint from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Both Efrain and Gilberto Deleon are still in detention, according to federal authorities. Galarza was released on a $50,000 bond.

The case is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, state police and local police departments in Farmington, Stonington, East Windsor, Southington, Windsor, Wethersfield and Stamford, according to federal authorities.