Man To Serve Seven Years In Robberies

A man was ordered to serve at least seven years in prison Friday after admitting to taking part in robberies at a bank and convenience store last year.

Darren Hall, 26, whose address was listed as the at 19 Jay Street, will serve the time out of an underlying 12-year sentence as well as three years of probation in relation to a robbery at on June 28, 2010. Hall was also given a concurrent sentence of six of 10 years with three years of probation on charges related to the July 1, 2010 robbery of the on Masonic Street.

According to a report by Detective Richard E. Curcuro of the , three men robbed Sam’s Convenience Store at knifepoint and took $400 from the cash register and about $159.85 of cigarettes. Three days later, the bank was robbed and police arrested Hall along with then 21-year-old Michael Drayton and then 26-year-old Walter Hoelck. Curcuro said Hoelck accused Hall and Drayton of involvement in the store robbery, and Hall later admitted having a role during a police interview.

According to a report by Officer Roger Baker of the New London Police Department police searched the city for three men after the robbery of the Savings Institute Bank and Trust. Drayton was accused of leaping over the counter and demanding cash while Hall and Hoelck stood by. One of the bank’s employees recognized Drayton as the son of a customer, and he was arrested after tackling Police Chief Margaret Ackley on Hempstead Street. At the time, Drayton had a bag with $8,757 in it.

According to a prosecutor’s report, Hall was identified by a witness who saw the men fleeing from the area of the bank after the robbery. Hall admitted that he was involved during a police interview and said he was high on marijuana at the time and thought the drug may have been laced with other material.

Hall pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and no contest to second-degree larceny in relation to the bank robbery in January. He entered an Alford plea, which recognizes that the state has enough evidence for a conviction but does not admit guilt, to first degree robbery and pleaded no contest to fifth degree larceny on Friday in relation to the store robbery.

Hall and his fiancé, Sharlim Rodriguez, said in letters to the court that they had fallen on hard times before the events. Rodriguez said they had been staying at a homeless shelter since December of 2009 when they found out she was pregnant. She said Hall had been trying unsuccessfully to find work.

“We were going through a real hard time financially and he made a terrible mistake,” she said. “I know you have to uphold the law and I understand the crime he has committed, but I thought I would just let you know a little bit of how our situation was and why I believe he did what he thought he needed to do.”

Hall said he regretted that he would not be able to witness the birth of his son or be with him.

“I know I was wrong. I just want to be home for his first steps and words,” he said.

Hoelck entered an Alford plea on June 9 to first-degree robbery as well as a guilty plea to accessory to second-degree robbery, and the plea agreement calls for him to serve at least four years and seven months of a 12-year prison sentence as well as three years of probation. He will be sentenced on August 17.

Drayton is serving five years and four months in prison, with three years of probation, after pleading guilty in November to second-degree robbery. No decision has yet been made regarding his charges of first-degree robbery and fifth-degree larceny in relation to the store robbery.