New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Robbery Charge

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that VINSON SINGLETON, JR., 25, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to a federal robbery offense.

According court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into a series of armed and attempted armed robberies of commercial establishments in Ansonia, North Haven and New Haven in March 2016.  The investigation revealed that, in the evening of March 22, 2016, an individual entered the Shell gas station at 696 Main Street in Ansonia, attempted to rob the store and stabbed a store employee in his back.  After the victim was stabbed, the victim saw a metal blade on the ground and the assailant holding a black handle in his hand.  The assailant then ran from the store.  The victim suffered a small puncture wound in his lower back.

Investigators collected the knife handle and a hat and sweatshirt that the assailant discarded as he ran from the store.  DNA collected from these items matched DNA that was collected from Singleton after investigators had identified Singleton as a suspect.

Singleton pleaded guilty to one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on January 28, 2020.

At sentencing, the government will argue that Singleton also robbed or attempted to rob a Dunkin Donuts in New Haven on March 8, 2016; a Valero in North Haven on March 9, 2016; a Papa John’s in New Haven on March 17, 2016; a Shell in New Haven on March 17, 2016, and a 7-11 in New Haven on March 21, 2016.

Singleton is currently serving a state sentence for possessing a sawed-off shotgun and an attempted robbery.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Ansonia, New Haven and North Haven Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.