Man Faces 78 Charges In Theft Of ATMs In CT: Middletown Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A New Britain man faces 78 charges in connection with a conspiracy to steal ATMs in Connecticut, according to police.

Santos Colon-Gonzalez, 24, is the fourth person to be arrested by Middletown police in connection with the scheme.

Police said Colon-Gonzalez is part of an organized crew of conspirators accused of committing burglaries throughout Connecticut and other surrounding states since the spring of 2020. Rafael Delvalle, 25, of New Britain, Joanberto Rivera, 22, of New Britain, and Nelson Colon-Davila, 21, of Hartford, have previously been arrested.

Delvalle and Colon-Davila remain incarcerated while Rivera currently has six other pending cases, including a conspiracy to steal catalytic converters, and is free on combined bonds for these cases exceeding $750,000, according to police.

Police said the warrant for Colon-Gonzalez charges him with burglaries committed in Middletown, Portland, Newington, Prospect, North Branford, Meriden, Fairfield, Farmington, South Windsor, Ansonia, Naugatuck, North Haven, Milford, East Haven, Glastonbury, and Hamden.

Detectives from the Middletown Police Major Investigations Unit were the lead investigators but worked with investigators from those jurisdictions, Connecticut State Police, and the FBI to obtain the arrest warrants, according to officials.

Colon-Gonzalez was arrested April 14 on charges including corrupt organization and racketeering activity, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, third-degree burglary with a firearm, 23 counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of criminal attempt to commit third-degree burglary, two counts of criminal attempt to commit first-degree larceny, two counts of first-degree larceny, two counts of second-degree larceny, criminal attempt to commit third-degree larceny, four counts of third-degree larceny, seven counts of first-degree criminal mischief, 15 counts of second-degree criminal mischief, three counts of third-degree criminal mischief, two counts of criminal attempt to commit fifth-degree larceny, two counts of fifth-degree larceny, three counts of criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny and seven counts of sixth-degree larceny.

He is being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond with a court date of May 12, according to state judicial records.