Waterbury Man Involved in Multi-State Robbery Spree Pleads Guilty

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZACHARY PROVOST, 33, of Waterbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of armed bank robbery and admitted that he committed a series of robberies in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in late 2017.

According to court documents and statements made in court:

• On November 29, 2017, PROVOST entered the Mobil gas station located at 385 Watertown Avenue in Waterbury, pulled out a knife, had the cashier open the cash register, and took approximately $700 from the register.
• On November 30, 2017, PROVOST and another male entered the Cumberland Farms located at 1588 Watertown Avenue in Waterbury.  After a knife was displayed and held to the cashier’s back, PROVOST and the other individual took approximately $50 from the cash register.  They also stole other personal items from the cashier, and a customer’s wallet that contained approximately $150.
• On December 1, 2017, PROVOST entered the TD Bank located at 121 Main Street in Southington, presented the teller with a note stating that he had a knife, and demanded that the teller provide him with money.  The teller complied and gave PROVOST $350.
• On December 1, 2017, PROVOST entered the Putnam Bank located inside of the Price Chopper at 251 Kennedy Drive in Putnam and presented the teller with a note stating that he had a knife.  The teller provided PROVOST with $1,222.
• On December 3, 2017, PROVOST entered the Walgreens located at 225 Boston Turnpike in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, demanded cash from the cashier and lifted his sweatshirt to display a knife.  The cashier provided PROVOST with $545.
• On December 4, 2017, PROVOST entered the TD Bank located at 10 Gusabel Avenue in Nashua, New Hampshire, handed the teller a note, and told the teller to give him all of the money in the drawer.  The teller complied and gave PROVOST $2,599.
• On December 6, 2017, PROVOST entered the Key Bank located at 232 West Main Street in Avon and gave the teller a note stating “I have a gun, hundreds, fifties and twenties and no ones and no dye pack.”  PROVOST also lifted his sweatshirt to reveal what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband.  The teller provided PROVOST with $1,053.  PROVOST fled the area in a vehicle driven by another man.
• On December 8, 2017, PROVOST entered the Mobil Gas Station and Dunkin Donuts located at 750 Straits Turnpike in Middlebury.  PROVOST first threatened the cashier at the Mobil station with what appeared to be a firearm, and instructed her to open the cash register and provide her with all of its contents.  The cashier complied and provided him with $578.  The cashier also complied with PROVOST’s demand that she give him cigarettes valued at approximately $131.  PROVOST then went to the cashier at the Dunkin Donuts, lifted his shirt to display what appeared to be a firearm and demanded money.  During the robbery, when a customer entered the premises, the PROVOST pointed the firearm at her and told her to keep her hands out of her pocketbook.  The cashier gave PROVOST approximately $350.  PROVOST then fled the premises in a vehicle driven by another man.
• On December 8, 2017, PROVOST entered the Thomaston Savings Bank located at 508 South Main Street in Thomaston and handed the teller a note stating “Robbery 20’s, 50’s, 100’s, quiet.”  PROVOST also displayed what appeared to be a firearm.   After the teller gave him money, PROVOST told her to get money from the other teller.  The teller complied, and PROVOST left the bank with $1,471.  He fled the area in a vehicle driven by another man.

On December 9, 2017, PROVOST was arrested by Waterbury Police officers after they responded to a call of an overdose of a woman at a motel in Waterbury.  At the scene, officers recovered a silver and beige handled CO-2 powered BB gun, a black ski mask, a gray ski mask, $542 in cash, multiple packs of cigarettes.  Officers also seized a red Ford Explorer that had been used during several of the robberies.

Officers were able to revive the overdose victim, who had been staying in the same room as PROVOST.

PROVOST has been detained since his arrest.

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2018, at which time PROVOST faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterbury, Southington, Thomaston, Putnam, Avon, Middlebury, Shrewsbury (Mass.) and Nashua (N.H.) Police Departments.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony E. Kaplan.