Man Charged In 7 Robberies, Carjacking

HARTFORD, CT - A city man has been brought up on federal charges for seven robberies and a carjacking last summer in numerous Connecticut towns, according to a statement from prosecutors. Arno Smith, 56, was indicted by a grand jury in a one-count indictment that he used threats of violence to steal a car from a Hartford victim.

An eight-count superseding indictment adds seven counts of interference with commerce by robbery. These allegations include that Smith robbed the following locations:

• the Price Chopper supermarket located at 121 Farmington Avenue in Bristol on July 27;
• the Price Chopper supermarket located at 410 Queen Street in Southington on September 4;
• the U-Haul Moving and Storage located at 755 Capitol Avenue in Hartford on September 5;
• the Home Depot located at 55 Granby Street in Bloomfield on September 15;
• the Lowe's Home Improvement located at 31 Buckland Hills Drive in South Windsor on September 16;
• the Days Inn located at 185 Ella Grasso Turnpike in Windsor Locks on September 18;
• the U-Haul Moving and Storage located at 3197 Main Street in Hartford on September 19.

Smith has been imprisoned since Sept. 20, when he was arrested on related state charges.
The charge of carjacking carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and the charge of interference with commerce by robbery carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney John Durham stressed in a statement that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford, Bristol, Southington, Bloomfield, South Windsor, Windsor Locks, Farmington and West Hartford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.