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New Haven County resident Kenneth Strothers of Meriden, age 27, pleaded guilty on Monday, Feb. 26 to federal robbery charges, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
According to federal officials, Strothers was the focus of an FBI investigation into several armed robberies that happened in Connecticut in early 2021. This investigation determined that Strothers had committed at least ten robberies over a period of around two weeks.
On Monday, Strothers specifically admitted that he robbed two Hartford County businesses in Wethersfield and New Britain.
The first of these incidents happened on Feb. 9, 2021, when Strothers entered the Valero gas station at 930 Silas Deane Highway (Route 99) in Wethersfield and used a firearm to pistol-whip the store clerk in the head. He then stole around $260 from two cash registers before fleeing in a stolen car.
The clerk was later hospitalized with a serious head injury, officials said.
The second incident happened the next day on Feb. 10, 2021, when Strothers entered Broad Street Pawn in New Britain at 210 Broad St. and again used a firearm to pistol-whip a store employee in the head. He then stole around $2,000 before fleeing with two associates in a stolen truck.
During this robbery, three children of the store owner hid in a bathroom, according to officials.
Strothers was arrested days later on Feb. 12, 2021, and investigators seized the handgun he had used during both incidents. Since his arrest, he has been detained in state custody.
On Monday, Strothers pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, officials said. He now faces a maximum prison term of 40 years when he is sentenced. Under the terms of a binding plea agreement though, prosecutors and Strothers' team have agreed on a sentence of 14 years if approved by the court.
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