Man Pleads Guilty To Robbing Killingworth Bank: DOJ

KILLINGWORTH, CT — A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to robbing a Killingworth bank earlier this year, according to United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut John H. Durham.

According to a news release, Lavon Young, 39, and David C. Earl, 26, of Union City, N.J., drove to a Key Bank branch located on East Main Street in Branford on Jan. 27 and planned to rob the bank.

Durham said both men exited the car wearing dark upper-body clothing. Young also wore a dark hooded sweatshirt and a green “scream mask” over his face, while Earl wore a mask over his lower face, sunglasses over his eyes and a red-hooded sweatshirt under his overcoat, Durham said.

The two men allegedly walked up to the bank entrance and pulled on the doors, which were locked, then returned to their car and drove off, Durham said.

"Less than an hour later, Young and Earl drove to a TD Bank branch on Route 81 in Killingworth," Durham said in a release. "Dressed the same way when they had attempted to enter the Key Bank in Branford, Young and Earl entered the TD Bank, told everyone to get down and demanded money from the tellers or else they would 'blow their heads off.' Earl possessed a pellet gun during the robbery."

Durham said a teller handed over multiple stacks of bills, totaling $9,754, and the two men fled.

According to Durham, Young and Earl threw most of the money out the window of their car while driving from the bank and being pursued by law enforcement. They were eventually apprehended by East Haven Police.

Investigators successfully recovered $9,479 of the $9,754 taken during the robbery, Durham said. Both accused men have been detained since Jan. 27.

On May 15, Earl pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, Durham said. The charge of bank robbery carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. Sentencing dates have not been scheduled.

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