Stamford Man Who Threatened Bank Employees Is Sentenced

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEPHEN MONTALVO, 60, of Stamford, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to time served, and three years of supervised release, for threatening to kill and injure the employees and managers of an HSBC Bank branch located at 101 Broad Street in Stamford. MONTALVO also was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $2000. MONTALVO pleaded guilty to the offense on January 29, 2009.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, on September 30, 2008, an employee of a different bank that was located near the HSBC branch received a telephone voice mail message from MONTALVO. In the message, MONTALVO mentioned his frustration about trying to locate money he had previously invested with HSBC, and stated, among other things, “I’ll walk in that office with a gun, I swear to God . . . I don’t care anymore, they stole my money . . . they’re playing me, and I don’t like to be played.” This witness knew from prior encounters with MONTALVO that MONTALVO was angry with HSBC after having lost money on certain investments.

MONTALVO was detained from the date of his arrest on October 10, 2008 to December 18, 2008, when he was released on bond into home confinement under electronic monitoring by the United States Probation Office. Today, Judge Chatigny ordered MONTALVO, while on supervised release, to continue his efforts to address and treat the conditions that triggered the offense conduct, including that he receive substance abuse and mental health counseling and treatment. MONTALVO also must have no contact with HSBC Bank and its employees.

This matter was investigated by the Stamford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Henry K. Kopel.