Man Sentenced In Armed Bank Robbery In Stratford: Feds

STRATFORD, CT — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in connection with several armed robberies in Connecticut, including Stratford, in 2014, according to officials.

Bomani Africa, 62, last residing in Philadelphia, was sentenced Thursday in New Haven federal court to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced.

Authorities said Africa met his associate, George Bratsenis, when they were both incarcerated on robbery convictions in a New Jersey state prison. On April 20, 2014, Africa and Bratsenis robbed a People’s United Bank branch located on Old Kings Highway Road in Darien, according to a news release.

“Bratsenis, driving his pick-up truck, dropped Africa off in downtown Darien,” officials wrote in the news release. “Africa then entered the bank, pulled out a gun, jumped over the teller counter and ordered a teller to open drawers, saying ‘I will shoot you if you don’t give me all your money!’ Africa took a substantial amount of cash and then left the bank. Bratsenis picked up Africa a short distance away and they left the scene.”

In September 2014, Africa, Bratsenis, and Africa’s son, Randi Feliciano, conspired to rob another bank, according to authorities.

“In the early morning hours of September 25, 2014, Feliciano drove Africa from Philadelphia to a parking lot in Trumbull, Connecticut, where, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Africa stole a car from a victim a gunpoint,” the news release states. “The next morning, Africa and Bratsenis, both wearing masks and brandishing firearms, robbed a People’s United Bank branch located on Madison Avenue in Trumbull, taking nearly $30,000 in cash. After they drove from the scene in the car Africa had carjacked, they parked in a nearby parking lot and set fire to the car. Feliciano drove Africa from the scene and followed Bratsenis to a Norwalk restaurant where the three men divided the proceeds of the robbery. Feliciano then drove Africa back to Philadelphia.”

Then on Dec. 13, 2014, Africa and Feliciano, who were both wearing masks and brandishing firearms, robbed a First Niagara Bank branch on Hawley Lane in Stratford, and took more than $15,000 in cash, according to authorities.

Africa, who officials said has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple convictions for robbery offenses, has been detained since his arrest on May 28, 2015. He pleaded guilty in December 2015 to one count of armed bank robbery.

Bratsenis and Feliciano pleaded guilty to the same charge. On April 5, 2022, Bratsenis was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment and, on Feb. 21, 2017, Feliciano was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment, according to officials.

“In addition to this prosecution, Africa and Bratsenis have each pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire charges in the District of New Jersey for committing a contract killing of an individual in New Jersey on May 22, 2014,” officials wrote. “They await sentencing in that case.”