Man Charged with Armed Robbery of Westfarms Mall Store (DOJ)

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging WILLIE WHITE, 58, formerly residing in Bristol, New Britain, and Hartford, with offenses stemming from an armed robbery at the Westfarms Mall.

The indictment was returned on April 16, 2025. White appeared yesterday in New Haven federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 15, 2024.

The indictment alleges that, on July 15, 2024, White robbed the Sunglass Hut at the Westfarms Mall in West Hartford. He stole multiple pairs of designer sunglasses and brandished a Glock pistol during the robbery.

It is further alleged that White's criminal history includes more than 15 felony convictions for drug, robbery, burglary, and other offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. White was on state supervision, including GPS monitoring, at the time of the offense.

The indictment charges White with one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of seven years and maximum term of imprisonment of life; and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the West Hartford Police Department and the New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).